In collaboration with the NGO Manos Unidas we have developed a project to provide back-up electricity for several of the main buildings of the Mtengo Hospital, located in the central region of Malawi, run by the Carmelite Sisters. The hospital serves 70,000 patients a year, belonging to a very poor rural population heavily affected by AIDS and drought.

• NGO; Manos Unidas
• Service: Light and 24/7 electrical supply
• Impact: 70.000 beneficiaries
• PV Installation: 40 panels (9,8 kW), 24 batteries (1500 Ah), inverter (8 kVA)
• Social Impact: Improvement in hospital service
• Project Situation:  In full operation

Previous Situation; The hospital had daily electrical cuts due to the poor state of the electrical grid. They relied on an old expensive electrical generator that was frequently not started due to the high fuel prices.

The NGO Manos Unidas presents this project of a rural hospital in Malawi, approximately an hour from the capital, Lilongwe. The Francisco Palau Hospital of Mtengowanthenga is run by the Carmelite Sisters, it has several buildings (male, female, maternity, dispensary, laboratory, operating room, ...). The electrical grid in Malawi suffers continuous daily cuts, and that in times of drought can last several days. This is a very serious problem for the hospital, since many times for relatively small power needs (refrigerators, oxygen concentrators, lighting ...) it forces them to start a large and old diesel generator that limits there economic capabilities, since the price of the fuel is very expensive.

In April 2018, the EKI foundation commissioned the solar photovoltaic installation connecting 40 solar panels donated by DREAM - SAN EGIDIO to the installed electrical equipment (inverters and regulators) and a bank of 24 large capacity batteries. This allows us to provide electricity 24/7 to several hospital wards, and in this way save a lot of money on fuel and greatly improve the lives of patients and health personnel, by having lighting and electricity all day. The money saved in fuel will be used to purchase medicines and hospital improvements.

We would like to thank the Italian NGO SAN EGIDIO for the transfer of the panels and the NGO LLAMARADAS DE FUEGO in Seville for the transfer of equipment and batteries from Spain to Malawi, as well as the Carmelite Sisters of the hospital for all the important work they perform and helping us with the development of the project.