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Project Inception Meeting in BidiBidi Settlement: Introduction of the SUNNY project to local community representatives

Project Inception Meeting in BidiBidi Settlement: Introduction of the SUNNY project to local community representatives

by | Mar 25, 2025 | Uncategorized

In December 2024, partner CTEN (Community Technology Empowerment Network) took a significant step in further strengthening the collaboration of the project consortium with local communities in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. Through its inception and end-of-year feedback meetings, CTEN set the stage for the SUNNY project, which aims to drive community-based protection, education, and livelihood improvements through enhanced and sustainable access to energy services.

About CTEN

CTEN, a Registered Refugee-Led Organization (RLO), that operates under the vision of fostering a healthy, informed, and peaceful community. With thematic areas spanning community-based protection, digital education, energy, environment, and livelihood support, CTEN is committed to empowering refugees and host communities alike.

The SUNNY Project: Setting the Foundation for Success

Bidibidi Refugee Settlement requires operational partners (OPs) and implementing partners (IPs) to conduct inception meetings for new projects to ensure alignment with government programs and effective coordination. On November 18, 2024, CTEN held an inception meeting in Zone 1 to introduce the SUNNY project. This project targets Zones 1-5 and seeks to integrate within the existing settlement framework to enhance collaboration and efficiency.

On November 22, 2024, an end-of-year feedback meeting was held with key stakeholders, including the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Refugee Welfare Councils (RWCs), Religious and opinion leaders, and other RLOs. This meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on achievements, challenges, and lessons learned over the past six months.

Objectives of the Inception Meeting

The inception meeting aimed to:

  • Introduce the SUNNY project to all stakeholders and highlight its alignment with the settlement’s operational framework.
  • Present approved work packages, deliverables, and timelines for effective implementation.
  • Define roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures for consortium partners.
  • Gather feedback from the community on activities conducted by CTEN in collaboration with TUB, ReFuse, and UMAK.

Attendance and Engagement:

The two meetings attracted 41 participants comprising representatives from government, community leadership, and refugee-led organizations. The gender distribution included 28 males and 13 females, achieving approximately 70% attendance of the targeted stakeholders.

Key Achievements:

During the past six months, CTEN made notable strides in:

  1. Increasing awareness of renewable energy solutions and waste management.
  2. Encouraging active participation of local communities in workshops and surveys.
  3. Identifying priority waste sites for intervention.
  4. Strengthening collaboration between stakeholders and community representatives.

Challenges Identified:

Despite the achievements made, several challenges emerged:

  • Limited resources to scale up waste management interventions.
  • The need for more practical demonstrations and pilot projects.
  • Gaps in technical capacity among local community members.

However, these challenges are not insurmountable. With continued engagement from partners and the valuable feedback from the community, SUNNY is implementing strategies to address these issues effectively. Increased resource allocation, practical training sessions, and strengthening local capacity will help overcome these obstacles, ensuring the long-term success of the project. These challenges also present opportunities to further engage communities and drive innovative solutions tailored to local realities.

Community Feedback and Lessons learned

Community leaders shared valuable insights:

  • Appreciation for the positive impact the SUNNY project is expected to bring to livelihoods.
  • A call for increased training programs on renewable energy maintenance and business development.
  • The need for broader engagement of youth and women in project activities.

Through the engagement process, several lessons emerged:

  1. Local knowledge enhances the relevance of waste mapping data and ensures sustainability.
  2. Hands-on, practical training is essential for effective capacity-building.
  3. Sustained collaboration with local government improves project implementation.

Critical Observations and recommendations for future activities

Some notable observations included:

  • Awareness of sustainable energy solutions remains relatively low, necessitating ongoing sensitization.
  • Collaboration with local authorities facilitated smoother implementation.
  • Some community members had expectations of monetary incentives for participation.

To ensure the continued success of the SUNNY project, the following recommendations were made:

  1. Increase the frequency of training sessions and workshops.
  2. Implement more practical demonstrations on waste management and renewable energy.
  3. Strengthen partnerships with local government and private sector actors to enhance sustainability.

The inception meeting successfully laid the groundwork for the SUNNY project, bringing together key stakeholders who demonstrated a shared commitment to its success. The end-of-year feedback meeting provided critical insights that will shape future activities, emphasizing the need for continuous engagement, technical capacity building, and sustainable collaboration.

As CTEN moves forward, it remains dedicated to empowering communities through digital inclusion, renewable energy education, and waste management initiatives, ensuring that refugees and host communities alike become more self-reliant and resilient.

Presenting SUNNY’s 1st Demo Site in Rwanda’s Mahama Refugee Camp: Transforming Lives with Clean Energy

Presenting SUNNY’s 1st Demo Site in Rwanda’s Mahama Refugee Camp: Transforming Lives with Clean Energy

by | Jan 14, 2025 | Uncategorized

Access to clean and sustainable energy is not just a technical challenge; it’s a fundamental aspect of improving lives.

In communities where resources are scarce, energy solutions can make the difference between survival and progress. At the Mahama Refugee Camp in Rwanda, the SUNNY project has taken its first major step toward this goal, working alongside partners PA, SOLHYD, and SOLEK to deliver innovative clean energy solutions.

Located in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, the Mahama Refugee Camp has been home to over 58,000 displaced individuals from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) since its establishment in 2015. While some progress has been made in introducing renewable energy sources, access to sustainable energy remains limited, impacting health, education, safety, and economic development for both refugees and the surrounding host communities.

Through the SUNNY project, we aim to test and implement pioneering solutions that will address these challenges, focusing on two key innovations: hydrogen-powered cooking systems and solar home systems.

The Energy Context at Mahama Refugee Camp

The Mahama Refugee Camp spans 175 hectares and operates under significant energy constraints. Although efforts have been underway since 2022 to connect the camp to the national electric grid, the current reliance on firewood, diesel generators, and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) poses serious challenges:

  • Environmental Impact: Firewood contributes to deforestation, and diesel generators emit harmful carbon.
  • Financial Burden: Diesel and LPG costs strain humanitarian resources.
  • Health and Safety Risks: Indoor air pollution and fire hazards harm community well-being.

Existing renewable efforts, such as the Nasho Solar Power Plant and solar panels at Mahama’s health center, have been impactful but need scaling to meet growing demands.

SUNNY Project: Objectives and Vision

SUNNY aims to demonstrate clean energy solutions while assessing their environmental, social, and economic impact. Our core goals are to:

  • Reduce Carbon Footprint by shifting from firewood and diesel.
  • Enhance Safety with cleaner, safer cooking and energy options.
  • Empower Communities by boosting economic opportunities and gender equality.
  • Promote Climate Resilience through sustainable energy models for displaced populations worldwide.

To achieve these goals, SUNNY has introduced two key solutions at its first demonstration site: hydrogen-powered cookstoves and solar home systems.

1. Hydrogen cooking solutions

Cooking remains a critical challenge for many refugees. Traditional methods, such as using firewood and charcoal, are unsustainable and pose severe risks to health and the environment. The SUNNY project is introducing hydrogen-powered cooking solutions that offer a cleaner, safer alternative.

Key Features Being Tested:

Hydrogen Generation: Monitored through solar hydrogen panels.

Storage Innovations: Hydrogen stored in truck tire inner tubes; evaluated for pressure, leaks, and portability.

Performance & Safety: A 100-hour test ensures efficiency, safety sensors detect failures, and system reliability is validated.

These systems offer a practical, safe alternative to firewood and LPG, improving household health and safety and reducing carbon emissions.

2. Solar Home Systems

Solar energy has already begun to make a difference at Mahama, but access to solar-powered systems for individual households remains limited. As part of the SUNNY project, solar home systems will be installed to test their performance, gather user feedback, and determine their scalability.

How It Works:
  • Free installations for selected households.
  • User feedback collected via ANGAHA CRM for performance monitoring and issue resolution.
  • Community engagement ensures solutions align with household needs.

This process ensures solar systems are effective, user-friendly, and scalable for broader implementation.

This approach ensures that the systems are user-friendly, effective, and tailored to the community’s specific energy requirements.

Why this matters: the broader impact

The introduction of hydrogen cooking solutions and solar home systems at Mahama Refugee Camp has far-reaching implications for refugees, host communities, and humanitarian actors alike:

  1. Environmental benefits: Reduces deforestation caused by firewood collection and carbon emissions.
  2. Economic opportunities: Supports small businesses, creating jobs and lowering energy costs. SUNNY’s solutions will also reduce the financial burden of purchasing LPG and diesel.
  3. Health & Safety Improvements: Minimizes smoke exposure, fire hazards, and respiratory illnesses.
  4. Community Integration: Benefits both refugees and host populations, fostering shared progress and social cohesion.

Looking ahead: a model for global impact

Mahama is just the beginning. The SUNNY project aims to create a scalable model for addressing energy challenges in refugee camps worldwide. Insights gained here will inform future clean energy initiatives, proving that sustainable solutions can empower communities everywhere.

At SUNNY, we believe access to energy is a human right. Through innovation and collaboration, we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

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