Funding Solar Power at AMECA Health Centre in Malawi

Matron Priscilla delighted with the new Inverter and Lithium Solar Batteries!!

Rotary South and Epsom Rotary jointly funded a Solar Power Upgrade at the Ameca Health Centre in Chilaweni, Malawi

Solar power is an essential component for the sustainable provision of quality healthcare and maternity services in this large catchment community, where AMECA constructed a Primary Health Centre and maternity unit.

AMECA funded the delivery of mains power to the village in 2017, when the original primary healthcare clinic was constructed. Solar power was required, since mains power delivery is extremely unreliable in Malawi, with frequent power cuts of up to 18 hours and sometimes days!! Lack of power is a part of daily life and is unlikely to improve anytime in the near future. 

Solar power was originally installed at the maternity unit to ensure that the maternity staff can run oxygen concentrators and suction machines for mothers and newborn, when required. It is essential that the maternity clinic can run with 24-hour power delivery. 

Six years on, maternity staff reported that the aging batteries could no longer cope with the ever-frequent power failures and furthermore the Outpatients building needed some solar backup at night for lighting and to run essential equipment to ensure adequate patient care and safety.

Thanks to a generous grant from Rotary South and Epsom Rotary, AMECA was able to purchase new Lithium batteries which have far more longevity and a new Inverter to be able to run the maternity unit and deliver some solar power for Outpatients. We are sincerely grateful to Epsom Rotary, and healthcare staff are delighted with the upgrade.

More details on AMECA’s work can be found on our website at www.ameca.org.uk and a link to the upgrade can be found at this link: https://ameca.org.uk/news/

AMECA has worked in Malawi for the last 18 years. The charity has no employees and works from its homes in the UK and in Malawi, which minimises expenditure and maximises the impact of donations.