Solar Power for Refugees in Bidibidi, Uganda

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.