Power for life

Power for Life – a unique project for a Mission Hospital in Malawi!

Imagine you are a doctor and have to perform an operation. Everything seems to be going well, until the power suddenly goes out and the patient ultimately dies.
Imagine you are a nurse walking through the maternity ward where six small babies are lying in their cots, receiving oxygen. The babies are sleeping peacefully, until the power suddenly fails and the babies start turning blue…

This is the reality in northern Malawi. These situations occur regularly at Embangweni Mission Hospital. As MissionInvest, we would like to support this project to help resolve this urgent problem in Northern Malawi as soon as possible.

Context
Embangweni Mission Hospital is a 150-bed hospital in northern Malawi, one of the most economically vulnerable countries in the world. The hospital has a key role in regional healthcare and provides care to approximately 100,000 people, including patients from neighboring areas in Zambia. For this population, Embangweni is often the only access to medical care.

The hospital delivers essential medical services on a daily basis, including emergency care, surgeries, and maternity care. However, this care is structurally under pressure due to frequent and unpredictable power outages. The current energy supply depends on diesel generators. Given the limited financial resources, it is difficult to continue providing sufficient fuel, and this dependency also places a burden on the environment.

The consequences of power outages are severe. Medical procedures are interrupted, equipment is damaged by power fluctuations, and in critical situations there is immediate danger to life, especially for newborns who depend on oxygen support.

“A solar system is not just a technical solution; it is a lifeline for our patients.” — Nurse, Embangweni Mission Hospital

Project
The Malawi Mission Work Team (MMWT) has been active since 2016 from the Netherlands, supporting Embangweni Mission Hospital with advice and hands-on assistance. In recent years, it has been involved in renovation projects (maternity ward, operating room, etc.). Currently, the focus is mainly on capacity building of the local team through training, consultancy, and supervision by a tropical medicine physician who has been committed to the hospital for several years.

In addition to the need for capacity building, the MMWT—together with the management of Embangweni Hospital—has given high priority to the continuity of the energy supply. In collaboration with the SoPowerful Foundation, a plan has been developed for the installation of a fully autonomous solar energy system consisting of solar panels and battery storage. This system will make the hospital independent of the unreliable national power grid and significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

A detailed energy analysis, carried out with an external consultant and installer, shows that an installation of 400 solar panels is required to fully cover current and future energy needs. This setup is expected to generate approximately 300,000 kWh per year, sufficient to provide continuous power to essential medical equipment and facilities.

The Power for Life project includes the following activities:

• Installation of 400 solar panels
• Installation of 4 converters of 30 kW and battery storage capacity of 110 kWh each
• Training of local suppliers and maintenance personnel

The aim is to have the entire solar panel project operational by mid-2026, well before the start of the rainy season, which would significantly hinder the installation work.

Impact
Looking at the impact of the Power for Life project, it will make a positive contribution in several areas. In summary:

• Continuity of care guaranteed for 100,000 patients per year due to a stable energy supply
• Reduction of operational costs (savings on extremely expensive diesel), leaving more funds available for (after)care and medical supplies
• Environmentally friendly solution through reduced diesel use and CO₂ emissions

“Your support will not only benefit this local hospital, but also contribute to the broader objectives of promoting renewable energy in the African region.” — Dr. Gerrit Roorda, tropical medicine physician (Embangweni)

Financing
An investment of €400,000 is required to realize this project. This amount covers the costs of solar panels, battery systems, transport, installation, and training of local staff for management and maintenance.

Embangweni Mission Hospital is able to cover its operational costs, but it does not have the financial reserves to independently bear such an investment. The MMWT has been asked to help with this. To date, the MMWT has already raised €300,000 through its own network!

MissionInvest has been asked by the MMWT to help raise the remaining €100,000 needed to start installation of this crucial system at the beginning of 2026.
MissionInvest has been working with the MMWT on this wonderful project since 2020 and has therefore wholeheartedly agreed to commit itself to this subproject as well.

We invite you to become a partner in this impactful and life-saving project.