E35 Foundation for International Projects - A2E Fund

Project: UTHEKA Pemba - Lightning Pemba - Solar Power for Education and Communities

Country & region/location: Mozambique, Eduardo Mondlane, Chuiba and Alto Gingone neighborhoods, City of Pemba - Cabo Delgado Province

Category: Energy & Education

In Pemba, a coastal city in Mozambique, accessing reliable and sustainable energy is a priority, particularly in educational and community domains. Insufficient public lighting compromises citizen safety, while schools face inadequate electricity for effective learning environments. The quality of the electricity grid in the city of Pemba suffers from serious infrastructural deficiencies, which cause more than 200 disconnections per year in the energy supply from the national power grid. Furthermore, electricity is currently very expensive, a cost that schools and peripheral health facilities often cannot afford. Due to the intermittent power supply, health facilities often face difficulties in properly storing medicines and properly functioning the machinery at their disposal. The lack of energy also reduces the possibilities for improving students' digital skills and makes it complicated to connect to internet services.

The E35 Foundation project aims to install solar renewable energy systems in two outlying neighborhoods of the city of Pemba. These neighborhoods were selected because they have seen their population, particularly children and young people, grow enormously over the past five years due to the arrival of thousands of internally displaced persons from the affected areas of the Cabo Delgado conflict. The districts have seen their population double, and with such a large increase in population, the needs in terms of educational and health services have increased.. 

With this project, E35 Foundation will empower and support four main institutions – two primary schools, one secondary school, and a health center - through tailored renewable energy solutions. Solar panel installations in key educational and health institutions (serving over 32.000 citizens) will ensure uninterrupted electricity access, fostering educational quality and healthcare provision. Furthermore, establishing a dedicated 15-computer informatics room in the secondary school will promote not only digital literacy and innovation but also the opportunity for neighborhood citizens to have an internet connection to join online services, also favoring opportunities for people with disabilities. Installing lighting infrastructure in school entrances and roads will enhance safety and security for students and the wider community. 

Expected results:

• 1 Primary school, 1 Secondary school, 1 children's daycare, and 1 health center powered by solar energy 
• Installed a 15-computer room at the secondary school in Alto Gingone, facilitating the promotion of digital literacy and innovation among students and adults attending adults’ literacy training, enhancing educational opportunities but also opportunities in terms of job 
• Installation of 50 photovoltaic streetlights in the neighborhoods to provide public lighting, increasing security and local mobility for citizens
• 10 Local technicians (5 Male and 5 Female) trained for installation and future maintenance of the systems
• Savings of ~10.000€/year for the 4 organizations
• Increases access to better education for students and adults
• Increased access to better health services for citizens 
• Increases access to e-services and increased access to digital literacy
• Increased local technical capacity in the installation and maintenance of photovoltaic systems
• Increased opportunities for youth and adult employment