Benin National Child Project under the GEF Africa Minigrids Program To support access to clean energy by increasing technical and financial feasibility and by promoting scaled-up commercial investment, in low-carbon minigrids in Benin, with a focus on cost-reduction levers and innovative business models. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. 99. (Prodoc §105-§106) The Project will deliver social, economic and environmental benefits as a result of the envisioned technical assistance activities and the proposed minigrids pilots, which directly contributed to SDG-7 (affordable and clean energy); and SDG-12 (climate action). These include: (a) direct energy savings (MWh) from replaced fossil fuel-based electricity suppliers under the business as usual scenario and associated costs savings (USD); (b) reduced emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from fossil sources (diesel); and Other Atmospheric Contaminants (OACs) from fossil fuels and traditional biomass (fuelwood and charcoal) in indoor spaces, which reliefs public health risks associated with baseline emissions; (c) development of innovative businesses contributing to economic growth and job creation; (d) enhanced quality and user experiences for household and business minigrid end-users; and (e) social and human capital development.  100. Aspects such as impact on public health and business, employment and national income generation will expectedly be assessed through the AMP's Communities of Practice, as inputs for the national policy. A direct metric for economic benefits is obtained from the avoided costs of imported fossil fuels for electricity generation. Assessments shall differentiate according to gender, income level or business type.101. For rural and currently unserved population, electric lighting and appliances create time-flexibility enabling people to deploy more income-generating activities during the day while additional opportunities may be created in evening hours. Electricity also contributes to building human and social capital by facilitating children to do homework after sunset; equally youngsters and adults can take benefit to acquire new skills; women in particular can benefit if electricity effectively reduces care-taking and household chores which traditionally rely on them. Electricity is further an enabler for accessing information both for leisure and commercial purposes, including access to market data for local produce, public information campaigns related to health, disaster prevention, awareness about protection of the local environment and natural resource base, and more. Access to information can help empower rural people to become full citizens and have their voices and needs reflected in public policies and plans. As such, the Project indirectly contributes to sustainable development in Benin, specifically as reflected by SDG-1 (no poverty), SDG-3 (health and well-being); SDG-4 (quality education); SDG-5 (gender equity); SDG-6 (clean water and sanitation); and SDG-8 (decent work and economic growth).[1]984.  102.The lifetime greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction from project activities is estimated at approx. 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2eq) (direct) and 180,000 tCO2eq (indirect). The number of direct beneficiaries is estimated at 12,000 people, of which at least 50% are women, as a result of 2,400 new and/or improved minigrid connections.          [1] For the current status of Benin in relation to the attainment of the SDGs, please refer to: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/benin