Mobisol solar system to help Burundian refugees

Mobisol Rwanda has donated a high quality solar system to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to support Burundian refugees in Gashora transit camp, Bugesera District. Receiving the solar equipment at Mobisol offices on Tuesday, Ibrahim Dukuze, the head of tracing activities at ICRC, said the donation will improve communication among the refugees and will help reunite separated families. According to Francis Rugero, a Regional Hub Manager at Mobisol, a 200 watt system has the capacity of charging 10 mobile phone devices in 20 minutes and will help refugees charge their devices, enabling them to communicate effectively with their relatives. Jean Claude Muhizi,a technician at Mibisol Rwanda, explains how the battery and solar panel work together. Dukuze said that Gashora transit camp is currently sheltering over 500 Burundian refugees who usually use ICRC’s phone because they have no means of charging their own cell phones. “This solar system is installed on a car which will travel to the camp every morning to help refugees charge their telephone devices. We also want to take this system to other refugee camps across the country,” he said. Reliable, affordable electricity In line with the government’s programme of rural electrification, Mobisol is also setting up solar home systems around the country at affordable prices. The German based company offers low-income customers in developing countries quality solar home systems that are a clean alternative to unhealthy, environmentally harmful, and expensive fossil fuels. Executive Assistant to the CEO of Mobisol Ltd, Leslie Katharina Otto charges her smartphone on the battery. In this way, Mobisol stimulates socio-economic development while simultaneously contributing to global environment protection. Rugero said Mobisol has two systems, including a 100 watt system with a capacity to power nine bright LED lights, a mobile charger for 10 devices in 20 minutes, a torch and a TV set which informs and entertains users through eighty channels. A 200 watt system provides electricity enough to power 25 bulbs, a mobile charger and a TV set. Mobisol considers financial capacities of the customers by allowing them to pay in instalments up to three years. (L-R): Mobisol region manager Francis Rugero in a group photo with Ibrahim Dukuze, head of tracing activities at ICRC Rwanda, deputy head of delegation at ICRC, Ian MacDonald and Leslie Katharina Otto, Executive Assistant to the CEO of Mobisol Ltd. (All photos by Faustin Niyigena) With a three-year warranty, the 100 and 200 watt systems are available at Rwf485,875 and Rwf893,925, respectively but a customer can easily afford a monthly payment of Rwf17,100 or Rwf31,500 respectively. The upfront is as low as Rwf30,900 or Rwf61,900 per a 100 or 200 watt respectively. Mobisol has so far installed over 25,000 solar home systems in East Africa. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Mobisol solar system to help Burundian refugees