JustOneFrickinDay is proud to announce that as a result of our partnership with The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), Partners In Health (PIH), Village Health Works (VHW), and your generous donations we were able to raise enough funds to complete the installation of a 10kW solar electric generating system to provide sustainable power for the new Village Health Works clinic in Kigutu, Burundi (May 2009).
With the help of solar panels donated by Cermet Materials and Ersol, and generous contributions from our supporters, doctors and staff now have the vital electricity they need, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to treat thousands of patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Background
Burundi is a country of both great beauty and great tragedy. Landlocked between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, and ranked the globe’s poorest country by the World Bank, 68% of its population live below the poverty line. Half of its children do not attend school.
 By all measures, Burundi has a public health crisis. The health issues and obstacles facing the small African country are serious: Burundi is home to about 8 million people and only 156 physicians working in its public hospitals. Rampant illness and ailments include HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, malaria, measles, diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and an infant mortality rate that is approaching 20%.
The health crisis facing the southern part of the country is especially severe due to a lack of electricity. Furthermore, villages like Kigutu are made up of subsistence farmers who lack the means to transport themselves to the nearest hospital, which are often many miles away. Even when they are able to find transportation, most are unable to afford treatment for their ailments, including women who are birthing children.
Objectives
Under the leadership of its founder, VHW recently built a new health care center in Kigutu, with both in-patient and out-patient facilities. The center will serve 60,000 people in the surrounding area.
But Kigutu lacked electricity, vital for lighting and much medical equipment, including vaccine refrigerators. The long-term success of the health care center required the implementation of a sustainable, reliable power source. Grid connection is not an option given Kigutu’s geographic isolation.
Solution
SELF engineers developed a 10kW solar electric system that provides over 90% of the power for the site. This system is sized so that most of the charging is done by the sun, while also providing a diesel generator back-up in the event of a prolonged overcast or in the event of any other unusual situations arising.
Hybridizing the system will minimize costs – especially in the context of steadily escalating diesel expense. SELF was also able to reduce long-term maintenance costs for the clinic by installing a state of the art monitoring system allowing remote technicians to monitor performance via the Internet. Together these systems will supply vital electricity 24/7 to ensure physicians and staff can provide quality care for the thousands of patients they serve.
Future Needs
The current solar installation meets the immediate and near-term needs of the Kigutu clinic. As they expand their services and add equipment, however, the clinic will need to add more solar modules to supply additional power. Please help us continue to bring hope to the people of Burundi. Give the gift of life and health that renews with every sunrise.
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