A 254 KW solar mini-grid station has been inaugurated in Sheder refugee camp.
The project is aimed at providing electrification for more than 14,000 refugees and 3,000 hosts, where it is believed to improve the socio-economic bonds of both communities.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Sehralla Abdullahi, the Director General of Ethiopia’s Petroleum and Energy Authority, together with Somali state officials, Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) representatives, donors and partners.
Marking the event, the Director General emphasized that the project represents just more than a mini-grid as it is a beacon of hope for the future. She also highlighted how the solar station empowers businesses, enhances education and improves health and security.
Sehralla went on saying: “Providing reliable, affordable and clean energy opens the door to opportunities that fuel the growth of the local community in particular and the nation as a whole. Such projects demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development and our responsibility to the environment.”
RRS was represented by its Protection Director Daba Lemessa. He addressed the gathering that such a collaborative effort paves the path for the engagement of the private sector in supplying the much needed energy for persons of concern.
Daba also mentioned: “RRS encourages private partners and assures them of its unwavering support and follow-up for the latter to engage in the Ethiopia refugee operation and provide the much needed energy across its intervention areas.”
The once empty landscape of Sheder has been transformed into a hub of energy that will power thousands of lives thanks to the dedication and collaboration of concerned government offices at various levels, donors and partners alike, it was learnt.
