November 2, 2023 / Stories of Your Lasting Impact
Democratic Republic of the Congo solar power system at Kalala Muzeu Health Center, 10 years later
Ten years ago, a young woman named her newborn baby after SonLight Power.
Ten years ago, you were part of a transformational moment between a mom and her baby that forever changed the trajectory of a life.
Ten years ago, a young woman walked into her village medical clinic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa, pregnant and in labor, about to give birth. It was nighttime.
Back then, that clinic had no electricity to power any medical devices or even basic lighting to aid the delivery of her child. At this small clinic serving a population of 50,000 refugees, this young mother was about to deliver her baby in darkness. Or if she was lucky, in candlelight.
But you changed all that.
Baby SonLight, born ten years ago at the Kalala Muzeu Health Center under light powered by solar panels.
You see, on that day ten years ago, a SonLight Power team successfully commissioned a new solar power system to equip the clinic with electricity for the very first time.
Instead of delivering her baby in darkness, the young woman delivered her new baby under the lighting powered by the new solar power system you made possible.
She was so impacted by the experience of having the presence of light in her delivery room that she named her baby ‘SonLight.’ She also gave him the name of the team co-leader, Tshiunza Daniel Kalubi.
Then and Now. Left photo: Newborn baby SonLight and mom in 2013. Right photo: Tshiunza Kalubi’s brother, Gabriel (far right, with backpack), greets the now 10-year-old boy Tshiunza Kalubi SonLight (lower left), named in honor of Tshiunza and SonLight Power, along with his mother (second from left).
Ten years later, Tshuinza revisited the same DRC village where he, SonLight Power founder Allen Rainey, solar consultant Terri MacGregor, and a team equipped that clinic, the Kalala Muzeu Health Center.
His mission? To fortify the existing solar system and advance healthcare in the community.
Return to the DRC for lasting, holistic impact
Close your eyes and imagine a hospital without electricity. Doctors delivering babies in the dark. Pregnant mothers carrying buckets of water and bringing torches to be able to give birth.
This image occurs at approximately 100,000 public health facilities across sub-Saharan Africa that do not have electricity. But thanks to you, it no longer happens at the Kalala Muzeu Health Center.
“The purpose of the trip was to add an additional nine solar panels and four batteries to the existing system,” says Tshuinza. “Additionally, my mother, Jacky, distributed 'dignity kits' and we had a free afternoon of consultations and distribution of medication.”
Above, top photo: Distribution of 'dignity kits' for the women in the community. Above, bottom photo: Leja Bulela, a nonprofit SonLight Power partner working in the Kasai region of the DRC, purchased two sewing machines for the community to equip local women to make additional dignity kits in the future.
The medical clinic is an essential community hub, providing electricity for critical medical equipment and appliances, and other applications like cell phone charging. The solar power system represents hope and empowerment for the community.
“It must have been a combination of the prayers, the patience, and the belief that allowed the installation to go as smoothly as it did,” says Tshuinza. “Prior to landing in Congo, I had been working remotely with a cousin who is in the construction field to plan the installation.”
Tshuinza’s cousin visited the health center multiple times and made a list of the materials the team would need to purchase. He also enlisted the assistance of a knowledgeable colleague, an electrician well-versed in solar power systems.
“The team worked two 12-hour days, including by flashlight on the roof of the health center, and completed the installation,” says Tshuinza.
Installation of original solar array in 2013 (left photo), with nine new panels ready for mounting in 2023 (right photo).
The team added the nine panels to the roof bringing the total number of panels to 18. They also installed eight new, high-quality, 48-volt batteries which effectively increased the capacity of the original system by 150%.
“I want to give a special thanks to Allen Rainey and Terri MacGregor for numerous Zoom calls the week leading up to the trip,” says Tshuinza. “Terri had a newborn at home and Allen, as we know, was caring for his wife Ann, however, both found time to walk me through each connection and circuit breaker needed to get the system up and running.”
Allen Rainey and Terri MacGregor in the DRC while co-leading the solar installation with Tshuinza in 2013.
This remarkable journey, a decade in the making, vividly highlights the transformative influence of strong partnerships, which make possible these SonLight Power projects.
“I always smile when we turn the corner and the Kalala Muzeu Health Center becomes visible,” says Tshuinza. “It represents the dedication, generosity, and hard work of so many.”
Thanks to dedicated partners like you, lives are transformed in lasting ways with the power of the Son/sun, both near and far. Here's to the next decade of transformation at the Kalala Muzeu Health Center!
Make more of these life-changing stories possible. Click here to give a gift that will make a lasting impact through SonLight Power.
For more information: Power Africa | USAID: Using solar power to equip medical facilities in Africa
