Bringing Light To Uganda - JHA & SolarEdge

JHA and SolarEdge in Uganda
Bringing light to the villages of Africa

A photo journal

Amit Rosner, March 10th, 2010
amit.r@solaredge.com

© All rights are reserved

Many parts of Uganda are disconnected from the national infrastructure

Imagine your life without:

Electricity
Sewage system
Access to clean water
Access to proper medical services
Refrigerated medicine and vaccinations
Means to light schools or operate computers

Uganda – the pearl of Africa

Most Ugandan families earn less than $1 per day

© Photo Amit Rosner

Average life expectancy is around 50 years, orphans are many.
HIV-AIDS rates have decreased to 5% of the population, but are now on the rise again


High infant mortality - 2 out of 5 children in rural Uganda will not make it to the age of five.
Common causes of death: waterborne diseases, malaria, complications of respiratory diseases


Each family grows the food necessary for its survival.
Much of the burden falls on women and children

© Photos Amit Rosner

An endless Papyrus swamp. Plenty of water isn’t always a blessing.
During our trip 300 people died in mud slides due to the heavy rains


Stagnating water foster these mosquito larvae, carriers of the omnipresent Malaria


Many women and children walk several kilometers every day
to bring water from often contaminated sources back to their villages


Others spend hours collecting wood for cooking and lighting, contributing to deforestation


Mother and baby collecting wood


Life isn’t all dark. …there’s always time for play


Without telephone lines, cellular phones are popular.
But charging often requires walking several hours to the next grid-connected town


JHA and SolarEdge

JHA is a non-profit organization that brings sustainable Israeli
technologies to rural African villages. Since its founding in 2008, JHA
has completed 27 projects, bringing solar powered light for
education, water pumping systems for clean water and refrigeration
for lifesaving vaccines to over 100,000 African people.

SolarEdge recently partnered with JHA to maximize panel energy
output, reduce maintenance cost via SMS and Internet remote
monitoring, prevent panel theft, and improve system safety.

Receiving the blessing of the First Lady of Uganda, “Mama” Museveni.
Mrs. Museveni has dedicated her last 24 years in power supporting orphans and the poor


“With SolarEdge I can monitor our 27 African solar sites using my laptop in our NYC office”,
explains JHA President, Sivan Borowitch Ya’ari, to the First Lady


Lubuulo Primary School

Energy for education. Light in classrooms provides students and
adults with a place to study at night and access to electricity for radio
and computer use.

The Lubuulo Village, disconnected from the electricity grid.
990 children study in Lubuulo elementary school


JHA president welcomed by Lubuulo students upon our arrival


SolarEdge power optimizer installed by JHA’s local contractor, Robert Mpagi,
to enable energy maximization and remote monitoring

© Photos Edoe Cohen

SolarEdge Monitoring Smartphone application reviewed by
JHA’s local contractor Robert Mpagi, and local office manager, Robert Khakhosi


Children excited at the moment the first light bulb was lit.
Located within several hours’ drive from the grid, it was the village’s first


The first lesson - “What is Solar Energy” – was taught in an illuminated classroom
as the fascinated children stared at the light bulb outside the building


Nabigwaali Medical Clinic

In medical clinics, solar powered refrigerators for essential medicines
and vaccines now protect local children from preventable diseases
such as tuberculosis, yellow fever and measles. In addition, patients
can find the way to the illuminated clinic and be treated at night.

Installation commences on the roof of Nabigwaali’s clinic
as locals celebrate in the clinic yard

© Photo Yoav Dagan

Immediate installation verification using the SolarEdge Smartphone Monitoring application


SolarEdge saves a three hour drive on a bumpy dirt road, and the cost of fuel:
Remote troubleshooting using the Smartphone application replaces on-site inspection

© Photo Yoav Dagan

Following 17 speeches, we even got a traditional gift of a goat and a spear


“Power is nothing without control”, reads a signboard at Kampala, the capital city…
…Definitely true when it comes to the monitoring of solar power systems


Off-grid solar system is being installed on the clinic’s roof


Locals applaud as the light bulb and vaccine refrigerator are powered up


A Nawampiti doctor prepares newly refrigerated vaccinations for injection


Kaliro Orphanage

Site visited to review the impact of solar powered light bulbs installed
by JHA in the orphanage several months ago

We were welcomed by dancing and signing: “Together we can change the world”


Children of the Orphanage of Kaliro seated in their illuminated classroom.
Reading of bedtime stories is now possible with dormitory lighting


Putti Village

Site visited to review the impact of solar powered water pumping
system installed by JHA last year.

Over 20,000 liters of clean water are pumped per day. Clean water
prevents the spread of water-borne diseases, currently responsible
for 80% of death and illness in the developing world. Consistent
water access also provides year-round irrigation for crops. This
increased food production leads to food security and economic
growth through the market sale of surplus crops, leading to a
healthier and wealthier village.

The solar powered water pumping system draws
clean water from the underground aquifer


The water can now be safely used for drinking, cooking, irrigation, and bathing!


Learn more:

JHA : www.jhafrica.org
SolarEdge : www.solaredge.com

Bringing Light To Uganda - JHA & SolarEdge

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