650 solar home systems for three refugee settlements

Lying at a sensitive crossroads in East Africa, Uganda hosts 1.4 million refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Burundi. In contrast to many other countries, Uganda allows refugees to set up businesses, find jobs and move freely around the country. The majority of refugees live in rural settlements but several hundred thousand live in camps.

Electrification of these communities is unfeasible for commercial solar companies and by grid extension. Consequently, refugees remain largely unserved. In line with FRES’ vision of rural electrification that leaves no one behind, we supply SHS to a total of 650 customers and 3,250 beneficiaries in three refugee camps.

We specifically target small businesses that can afford the monthly service fees. These businesses often play an essential role in the camps by providing employment or supplying key services such as education or health care. In all three camps, kiosks that offer phone-charging facilities are among our largest customer groups, underlining the importance for displaced communities of staying connected.

We are in the process of upgrading our existing systems in the camps to enable mobile payment and automated disconnection. In the coming years, we aim to scale up our activities to reach additional beneficiaries in more camps.