Renewable energy and water supply

Since 2000, Hilfswerk International has been cooperating with rural communities in the province of Sofala in Central Mozambique to improve the health situation there. Many health care facilities have neither running water nor electricity, making them a source of infection for mothers and their children. In order to maintain the progress that has been achieved so far, the construction of sustainable energy sources and water supply has been strengthened, in the awareness of the complex link between sustainable energy, health and poverty control. More than 80% of the total energy consumed in rural communities comes from traditional biomass sources such as firewood and charcoal. At the same time, Mozambique has a considerable potential for sustainable energy, but this is hardly used at all. Therefore, the project will use many sustainable sources of energy and train local communities to deal with them.

The concrete objective of the project is to reduce the infant mortality rate by using sustainable sources of energy and guaranteeing running water.

• Ensuring running water in 20 birth houses (construction of new water supply systems in 10 houses as well as the maintenance of 10 existing systems)
• Installation of renewable energy systems in 10 birth houses
• Establishment of a preventive system for the maintenance of water and energy systems in the birth houses and health centers.
• Sustainability study on the impact of sustainable sources of energy and water on health and the environment.

The project is linked to another project which aims to equip the burghers with medical equipment, to develop a transport system for pregnant women, and to make the population more sensitive to health issues.

393,300 mothers and children in twelve municipalities in the province of Sofala