feature-solar energy powers clean water, business opportunities for refugees - solar street light

Dar es Salaam, 23 June（
Thomson Reuters Foundation)-
Sadik remembers when he was eight years old. -year-
Two years ago, when her old daughter contracted cholera after drinking contaminated water, she passed death by.
Refugees from Burundi said, "she is thin and weak, and her diarrhea is very serious. "
"A little delay in getting her to the hospital means something else. " -
But God's grace kept her alive.
"In the crowded Nayarugusu camp in Western Tanzania, thousands of refugees are battling frequent outbreaks of water-borne diseases due to poor sanitation, including the father of the 35-year-old four children.
"Living in refugee camps is an ongoing struggle.
You either follow health rules or accept illness, "he told Thomson Reuters Foundation by telephone.
Health risk in Nyarugusu camp-
There are about 100 thousand refugees, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Due to the intensification of political turmoil in both countries, this year's population influx has led to economic growth in both countries.
But the soldier, who arrived at camp two years ago in Burundi at the height of political tension, has learned how to protect his family from diarrhea. -
The main causes of death in children under five years of age.
"I always make sure my children use clean and safe water," he said.
"I have instructed them to wash their hands with soap after going to the toilet.
"Thenest, a technician at Water Task, an international engineering charity, says the health of the camp is improving as more and more people get clean water from the recently installed solar energy. -
Power water treatment facilities.
"Factories produce thousands of litres a day-
Women don't go far to fetch water anymore, "he said.
As part of a broader initiative to help refugees gain access to clean energy and sanitation, WRM is installing more such factories in three refugee camps in Western Tanzania. The $5.
3 million projects funded by Denmark-
Based on Pul of the Jensen Foundation, safe drinking water is expected to be provided to 2500 refugees in Nyarugusu, Nduta and MTdeli camps.
Benjamin Filskov, National Director of the Water Resources Mission, said the organization's "huge" investment in solar technology would help communities gain access to clean and safe water and help achieve world development goals.
He told Thomson Reuters Foundation: "We will save lives and ensure public health because of safe water. "
According to the water mission, the Tanzanian project aims to use 100% solar pumping and diesel generators as backup.
In a statement, the company said 780 solar panels recently shipped to Tanzania would generate 226,000 watts of electricity and continue to provide safe water to keep children healthy.
With the increasing use of renewable energy, refugee communities in Africa and the Middle East are increasingly receiving solar energy to help build their economic resilience, reduce deforestation and prevent violence against women and girls.
From Dadaab in Kenya to Darfur in Western Sudan to Azrac in Jordan, solar energy is being used to provide affordable sustainable energy solutions for tens of thousands of displaced people. In semi-
Drought in Eastern Kenya, Africa's Largest Solar Energy-
Dynamic drilling-
Equipped with 278 solar panels-
According to data from the European Commission, Dadaab refugee camp provides about 280,000 litres of water a day to 16,000 refugees for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. In Azraq, a 2-
Megawatt Solar Power Plant Starting Operation in May-
The First Refugee Camp in the World-
U has been enabled. N.
UNHCR, UNHCR, provides free and clean electricity to 20,000 Syrian refugees, covering the energy needs of two villages connected to the State Grid.
The agency says refugee families can now turn on refrigerators, televisions, fans and lights in their shelters and charge their mobile phones, which is crucial to maintaining contact with relatives abroad.
However, analysts say that despite the fact that access to clean energy for refugees and their communities is a global priority for UNHCR, millions of displaced people still do not have access to sustainable and affordable energy due to lack of funding.
In the Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya, residents receive 10 kilograms of firewood for cooking every eight weeks, but that is not enough for most people, said Anna Okilo, a research analyst at the International Practical Action Consulting Corporation, which works in the camp.
She said the need to collect extra firewood often leads to personal safety problems, because girls and women face sexual harassment when they go out to collect firewood.
She added that clean energy such as solar energy could benefit refugees by improving safety, security, health and livelihoods.
"If we reduce our dependence on firewood through solar cooking, it will directly affect the development and protection of women in camps," she said.
She explained, for example, that it could spare time to collect firewood or clean ashtrays.
The lack of electricity has also brought other problems to Kakuma's nearly 180,000 residents.
"I dare not go to the bathroom alone at night because it's too dark," said Isa Ilanda, 31, from Congo.
Providing Solar Street Lamps and Energy-
Okilo said that efficient stoves can greatly improve the lives of refugees and help protect them.
The introduction of solar energy technology into Kakuma also helps build economic resilience among refugees, who form a vibrant community that takes advantage of new business opportunities, such as charging mobile phones and operating transfer services like M. -Pesa.
"Access to solar energy will help these enterprises maintain longer business hours;
Street lighting can make streets safer.
Solar lamps can provide a safe learning space at home.
"Africa has plenty of sunshine-
It's free, it doesn't pollute, it doesn't run out of electricity, "she added.