In June 2020, residents of the remote village of Mthembanji in Malawi’s Dedza district welcomed the arrival of a 20-foot shipping container. It held the components of a 12-kilowatt solar-powered microgrid – to provide 60 homes and small businesses with a supply of electricity for the first time. Following close consultation with community members, its arrival sparked a host of opportunities for people to make more money and improve their lives.
With around 17 million people in Malawi without access to electricity, the Government of Malawi is working to achieve a target of sustainable energy for all by 2030.
The microgrid in the village of Mthembanji - installed and managed though a partnership between United Purpose and the University of Strathclyde, with funding from the Scottish Government - is a financially and environmentally sustainable alternative to electricity access.
It is providing 60 homes and small businesses with access to electricity for the first time. The community is heavily involved in the project - watch this short film to find out how the microgrid is transforming lives:
Context:
The Rural Energy Access through Social Enterprise and Decentralisation (EASE) project is funded by the Scottish Government’s Malawi Development Programme, and builds on the longstanding partnership between United Purpose and the University of Strathclyde.
The project focuses on marginalised rural communities in Dedza and Balaka Districts. It addresses energy challenges via a community-centred approach to deploy holistic, sustainable solutions to the complex energy challenges experienced in these communities, specifically through deploying microgrids, energy hubs, and District Energy Officers. Through this project, UP is supporting the Government of Malawi to achieve their 2030 target of sustainable energy for all.
Read more stories from our work in Malawi:
