MALAWI – Solar panels set up at women’s vocational school
2023-08-16
With the financial support of the Umckaloabo Foundation, the Light Of Hope vocational center for young women near the Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi was able to put up a solar grid, which gives them independence from the electricity network and its outages. The center is operated by Moravian Humanitarian & Development Services (MoHDevS) and its missionary outreach. The Umckaloabo Foundation contributed €13,000 to building the solar panels.
An inexpensive and reliable power source
Massive power outages in Malawi are a common occurrence. Having a dependable power supply is indispensable for running the school, however, especially when it comes to the classes in electronics, IT and sewing.
What’s more, having a reliable source of electricity also means that classes can still be held after dark and that students can move around on school property without fear. Using solar power dramatically lowers the energy bills for the Light of Hope school as well.
Education leads to self-sufficiency
The vocational school gives young women and girls the chance to have a well-founded modern education so that later they can be self-supporting. Many young women in Malawi are still married off at an extremely early age or become victims of sexual or emotional abuse. Having a solid education makes girls and women less reliant on their families and husbands.