Solar Power for Refugees in Bidibidi, Uganda

With great joy, JPIIJPC announces the purchase of the Solar-energy paraphernalia required for the installation of the 4^th Health Centre at Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. This includes solar panels, solar panel mounting rackets, batteries, inverter, and charge controller. The technicians are rearing to go and get the work done. 

Once the 4^th Health Centre has been installed, a milestone will have been achieved with more gains than envisaged, due to the redesigning of the project concept and the constant re-targeting of the beneficiary Health Centres, in consultation with the regulating partners – UNHCR and OPM – to ensure that the current energy needs of the refugees at Bidibidi are suitably addressed. The whole project concept – Solar Energy for Health, Education and Business – has 3 segments – Solar Energy for 4 Health Centres, 4 Schools and 4 Business hubs. As we come to the close of the 1^st segment with the completion of the 4^th Health Centre, JPIIJPC will now shift its focus to the schools in the Refugee Settlement.

We are quite grateful to GlobalGiving for hosting us in their portal and most especially for skilling us on the marketing of our interventions in the Refugee Settlement and Trafficking in Persons (TIP). Notwithstanding the busy schedule at the Centre, JPIIJPC has dedicated more staff to devote more time to the resources made available by GG in terms of marketing. We are quite hopeful that once we launch our success stories on the different social media platforms (FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) we will get more people to support our Solar Energy Project at Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. 

We express our sincere gratitude to the Catholic Bishop of Arua diocese, our partners at Bidibidi Refugee Settlement – International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Finn Church Aid (FCA), and our corporate partners from Spain who have given a substantial push to this project. We are so much excited that by the next report, we hope to be announcing about the computer literacy program at least in one school in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement.

3rd Health Centre Solar-powered plus ICT

We are very happy to announce the installation of another solar energy system (5.5) kilowatts at Bolomoni Health Centre, Zone 4, Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Yumbe District. The Bolomoni Health Centre is quite unique compared to the others that have benefited from the solar energy installations. This is because the Health Centre is heavily dependent on 2 heavy electric generators of 12 kilowatts each which are operated alternately to supply up to 16 hours of electric power daily. While one generator kicks in from about 9.30 am to 1 pm, the other takes over from 7pm to 7am. As should be expected, most of the nearby Health Centres, even up to Imvepi Refugee Settlement, rely on Bolomoni for blood transfusion, oxygen, and Ultrasound scan services. Given the hitherto reliance on fossil fuel, the new Solar energy system will now reduce the cost of energy by up to 80% to 90%. Resources will subsequently be channelled to other areas of need in the health centre.

JPIIJPC project director, Fr. Ted Osuala cmf., deployed to Bolomoni Health Centre, with Solarero solar energy technicians, on the 8th of March and commenced work. By Thursday, the 9th of March, they finished the basic installations and commenced test running the system. Notwithstanding switching on the system in the evening on merely the already pre-charged batteries, it powered the whole establishment, (comprising of lighting – both at the main operations block and the staff quarters, 4 fridges, and the Television and DSTV lounge for the staff), till morning when solar charging began. With this development it was decided that it was better to keep the system consolidated, by installing a changeover switch instead of splitting the system, to enable the health centre to maximise all that the system could provide.

After a whole day of monitoring the installation, on Saturday the 11th of March 2023 the technicians commenced the maintenance training of the health centre personnel and the dos and don’ts in the use of solar energy infrastructure. They were advised to pump water always with the electric generator unless when it is assured that all the fridges are turned off and on no account should the heavy-duty washing machine previously being run on the generator be switched on the solar system.

By around 5pm, in the presence of the UNHCR Associate Program Officer of Yumbe Sub Office and the Health Manager, International Rescue Committee, in charge of the health sector interventions in the Refugee settlement, JPIIJPC handed over the solar system to the resident Health Officer of Bolomoni Health Centre.

JPIIJPC remain grateful to the bishop of Arua diocese, who has been very supportive of the services of JPIIJPC in the settlements. Thanks to the redesigning of the project by JPIIJPC to jumpstart take-off, under the able leadership of the director, Mr. Alfred Avuni, some of our corporate donors are now supporting added services like ICT infrastructure – laptops, printer, and internet to exploit fully the power infrastructure installed. We thank all our sponsors, donors, and partners from Spain who have made this possible. We are optimistic to extend the solar energy to the Schools and Business hubs once the remaining Health Centres have been solar-powered.

As hinted in the last report that John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre (JPIIJPC) was on the verge of installing solar energy in 2 Health Centres before the end of the year 2022, we are happy to report that we achieved our target of installing a total of 11 kilowatts of solar energy in 2 Health Centres in Bidibidi – namely Twajiji and Igamara Health Centre Level III. Thanks to the able leadership of the Director of John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre, Mr. Alfred Avuni, whose guidance led to the restructuring and segmentation of the project concept for easy takeoff. 

We are quite grateful to GlobalGiving who brought our cause for the refugees in Bidibidi to global attention such that some of our corporate donors became interested and passionate to give us a push commencing with the health sector of the project.

In the month of September and December respectively, John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre (JPIIJPC) with a team of technicians of solar service providers, after 3 days of hard work in each case, succeeded in installing 5 kilowatts and 6 kilowatts of solar energy at Twajiji and Igamara Health Centres respectively. The Project leader – Fr. Ted Osuala cmf, with the  team of technicians, passed by the bishop’s residence at Arua to show him some of the solar equipment before proceeding to Bidibidi refugee settlement for the commencement of the installation works.

Working in collaboration with UNHCR who coordinate the affairs of the refugees, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Office of the Prime Minister Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, a certificate of completion and handover note was signed by the in-charge of the Health Centre, the JPIIJPC project leader, IRC and UNHCR representatives present on Sunday evening of 18^th September 2022, and on Monday evening, 12^th of December 2022 respectively.  

With the installation of the solar energy systems, the challenge posed by the lack of sufficient power has been solved in these Health Centres. It was marvelous to behold the joy of the Health workers, patients, and partners at the completion and switching-on of the system. Just within weeks of completing the project, the preliminary feedback is that the number of patients to the Health Centres has increased especially on the issue of delivery of pregnant mothers at night. The solar energy now helps power the health centres so that previously inaccessible services (diagnostic machines, oxygen concentrators, computers, etc.) due to inadequate supply of energy are now made available to the refugees at the health centres.

Snippets of comments from partners and beneficiaries

“This office promises to collaborate and fully support JPIIJPC in the implementation of this solar power project for the benefit of the Refugees who are mainly the beneficiaries of the services at this Health Centre III and the surrounding host communities.” (Gilbert, Assistant Protection Officer, Office of the prime minister/Department of Refugees, Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, via email, 8^th August 2022).

“Thanks for your efforts in uplifting Bidibidi Health Facilities” (Samuel, UNHCR, Yumbe, via WhatsApp message, 14^th December 2022).

“The power has had some of the benefits below:

-       Ease of delivering babies for midwives at night.

-       Improved visibility around the facility

-       Improved security at night hours both from intruders and attacks from snakes and scorpions.

-       24 hours services being provided by the health centre to the beneficiaries.

-       Improved staff recreation through television use. 

We also have plans to request our management key medical equipment like oxygen concentrator and refrigerator for storing vaccines and insulin.” (Ezekiel, In-charge, Health Centre III, Igamara, via WhatsApp message, 24^th December 2022). 

“We are particularly grateful for your efforts in supporting the solar projects for our health centres, as they have made a significant impact in improving the wellbeing of our community” (Hakim, Health Manager, IRC, Bidibidi, via WhatsApp message, 25^th December 2022)

JPIIJPC is grateful to the bishop of Arua diocese, under whose jurisdiction is the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement (one of the biggest refugee camps in the whole world), who has been very supportive of the services of JPIIJPC in the settlements. We thank all our sponsors, donors, partners and collaborators in supporting us to make this possible. We are optimistic that with your support we will provide more solar energy to the neediest health facilities, and extend to the Schools and Business Hubs that are not yet catered for at the moment in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. 

Third Report on Solar Power for Refugees in Bidibidi

By Ted Osuala cmf

Following our last report on the 11^th of May 2022 where we hinted on redesigning the implementation of the Solar Power project for the Refugees at Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, we are happy to announce a ground-breaking event! With the contributions that have trickled in and support from our corporate partners who we reached out to, we have finalised plans to install 5.5 kilowatts of solar energy in a few weeks’ time at one of the Health Centres in Bidibidi. 

As at today we have raised $3,162 only from 43 donations. With the kickstarting of the project by the installation in one Health Centre at least, we are looking forward to inspire more donations from our donors and partners. We remain unrelenting in the mobilisation of more resources for the project. Going by our redesigned plan of implementation we will be left with 3 Health Centres to be installed 5.5 kilowatts of solar power. Our hope is that before the end of this year we have blessed another Health Centre with 5.5 kilowatts also. Expect to receive loads of images of the installation and hand over.

Thanks, and remain blessed!

As initially reported on January 11, 2022, the Solar Power for Refugees in Bidibidi is a bold idea requiring the installation of 5.5 kilowatts of solar energy each in 4 health centres, 4 schools and 4 business hubs. There is no doubt that it requires a substantial lumpsum to initialize. However as at the 10^th of May 2022, what has been raised is 2,162 USD only from 42 donations. This amount is insufficient to carry out any of the envisaged activity designed. 

So, we are still mobilizing more resources and reaching out to our corporate partners to kickstart the project. As a result, we are redesigning the implementation by picking components of the project such as – solar power and computers for a school or solar power for a health centre or a business hub. This is to speed up the process of kickstarting the project as the donations keep trickling in. By doing this it will motivate and encourage other individuals to identify with the project. In this way, we may require about 15,000 USD to kickstart the project.