Congratulations to We Care Solar!
Congratulations to We Care Solar who just received the first “Powering the Future We Want — Recognizing Innovative Practices in Energy for Sustainable Development” award.
We Care Solar is one of Every Mother Counts’ grantees and we’re very proud of this incredible team who sheds light on what is possible for improving maternal health.
The award has been made by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and it signals the convergence of efforts being instituted by global health, renewable energy and sustainable development. We Care Solar will receive a $1 million grant for its pioneering work providing sustainable and low-cost energy to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
We Care Solar was one of 12 finalists (from over 200 applicants) invited to the United Nations to share sustainable energy practices.
Every Mother Counts has been supporting We Care Solar’s work since 2013. Our first grant helped install solar suitcases in 40 clinics throughout rural parts of Malawi. Prior to these installations, health workers were forced to use candles, flashlights, and cell phones to facilitate nighttime births and obstetric emergencies. Now, these solar suitcases provide solar power to clinics 24/7 for up to five years. Coupled with the ability to charge medical equipment and cell phones that enable providers to make medical referrals, the solar suitcase makes a significant difference in providers’ abilities to provide care and save lives. To date this grant has impacted 76,482 lives — including mothers, babies and healthcare providers.
This year, EMC expanded our work with We Care Solar, providing a grant to support the installation of solar suitcases to 30 rural health facilities in northern Tanzania. We also supported the purchase of ten solar suitcases for tent camps in post-earthquake Nepal via One Heart World-Wide.
We anticipate this grant will impact at least 18,000 mother-baby couplets and 60 health workers by the end of 2016 by:
Providing sustainable solar-powered electricity that powers lights, charges medical equipment and mobile phones, and includes a fetal Doppler
Boosting midwives’ abilities to diagnose and treat complications during pregnancy and childbirth
Increasing the demand for prenatal care and skilled delivery, and helping improve referral systems in rural communities with few resources
Click here to learn more from Laura Satchel about the evolution of We Care Solar.
Watch “Seda’s Light” a film produced by Every Mother Counts that illustrates the hardships healthcare workers in many parts of the world face when they lack access to electricity.
The We Care Solar team works tirelessly to ensure the lights are always on and we are proud to support them.