The Palorinya refugee reception center is home to more than 125,000 people, most of whom sought refuge from the civil war in neighboring Sudan. Gebrüder Weiss is transporting a solar power system from Vorarlberg to Uganda free of charge, where it will replace old diesel generators.
A Catholic missionary, Erich Fischnaller, is doing vital development work in the Palorinya refugee settlement in northern Uganda. This includes providing young people with education and skills so they can build independent livelihoods. With support from many quarters, he has established several training workshops where people learn trades such as carpentry, metalwork, and baking. Until now, the workshops were powered by old diesel generators – expensive and environmentally unfriendly. This is now changing: Photovoltaic system manufacturers and electrical engineering companies from Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein have donated all the necessary components for a high-performance photovoltaic (PV) system. It can operate off-grid and generates up to 200 kilowatts of electrical energy.
E.Fischnitzer. Photo: Comboni Missionaries MCCJ
Gebrüder Weiss is handling the transport of the solar power system: “This is an exemplary initiative by companies from the region, helping to give local people a future – and it’s also environmentally sound. Solar energy instead of fossil fuels: a sustainable aid project that we are happy to support,” says Andreas Bilgeri, Head of Gebrüder Weiss Air & Sea Wolfurt. Packed in a 40-foot sea freight container, the solar power system will be shipped before Christmas. It will first travel by rail from Wolfurt to Rotterdam, then by ship to Mombasa, Kenya. The remaining journey to Uganda will be by truck.
Photo: GW-World
“I am very pleased that we have Gebrüder Weiss, a Vorarlberg-based and internationally experienced logistics company, on our side. This simplifies the coordination processes for us, and we can be sure that the solar system will arrive at its destination on time and safely,” says Matthias Burtscher, lead coordinator of the project. At his company premises, the donated PV modules were assembled, tested, and then packed with the support of many volunteers before transport.
"Solar Power for Palorinya" is a joint project of the Catholic missionary order of the Comboni Missionaries – represented locally by Brother Erich Fischnaller – as well as numerous companies, associations, and individuals from Vorarlberg, Liechtenstein, and South Tyrol. Brother Fischnaller, a native of South Tyrol, who began his missionary work in Africa 50 years ago, has been involved in the project since 2016.
M. Burtscher
The new solar power plant not only helps to save on the high costs of diesel fuel, but also makes optimal use of Uganda's climatic conditions. Because of its location on the equator, the sun shines here with consistently high intensity almost all year round.
Here is the interview with Matthias Burtscher.
Here is the web link to Erich Fischnaller and the Comboni Missionaries.
