SELF’s work in Rwanda began in 2003. The country was experiencing one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the world. Approximately 3% of the adult Rwandan population was infected with the virus, and as a result an estimated 210,000 children were orphaned. This strained an already limited healthcare system, with impacts to maternal and child healthcare, and more.

SELF joined a coalition—comprised of Partners in Health (PIH), Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and the Elisabeth Glaser AIDS Initiative—in hopes of addressing a major barrier in access to care: electricity.

“Without power, we had to deliver babies and perform other procedures with candles, kerosene lamps, or in the dark. We never knew if the equipment was properly sterilized. We couldn’t see if a baby was in distress.”

– Harelimana Assoumpta, Senior Nurse at the Kamabuye Health Center

By electrifying health clinics with reliable, clean energy, medical staff could count on consistent and expanded service. That meant new diagnostic and treatment technologies could be leveraged, and ultimately, lives could be saved.

SELF’s partnership with PIH in Rwanda proved to be long lasting and successful. By working together, SELF was able to replace PIH’s diesel generators with solar-diesel hybrid systems at healthcare facilities in Mulindi, Rusumo, Rukira, Nyarabuye, and Kirehe. The hybrid systems that were implemented generated 90% or more of its power from the sun, with diesel generators used to supplement the lack of power generated during periods of rain or prolonged heavy usage. These systems were used to power vaccine refrigerators, computer record keeping and communication systems, microscopes, blood analysis machines, centrifuges, portable X-ray machines, and sterilization devices.

During this time, SELF also partnered with The Ihangane Project (TIP) to support community-initiated projects that addressed improvements to HIV prevention, education, diagnosis, and treatment. The Gakenke District of Rwanda is only a small fraction of the country but was one of the regions most heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS. In 2010, SELF partnered with TIP to electrify two health clinics and three remote health posts. These systems have continued to operate and serve patients with quality care.