Solar panels for the hospital in Daga Youndoum Bambara, Senegal - April 2009
Current situation
  100% completed

In may 2008 we got a demand for a project of the organization SORA. One year before, SORA started the development of a medical post in Senegal. More specifically in Daga Youndoum Bamabara. A village in rural area of Senegal situated at 37 km from the city of Kaolack.  It’s a village of farmers and electricity was still completely absent.

SORA wanted to give the local people a real chance to survive. Led by a doctor and a nurse consultations were already started in the hospital, but because there’s no electricity the hospital could not fully open his doors. The Government doesn’t want to send any staff as long as there’s no electricity, and without any staff no clinic.
 
Although it was very urgent that the hospital  had to open. Women died during giving birth, many newborns and children died as a result of the failure of basic care, there were many serious accidents in the village but help came always too late. Deliveries at night had always been done with a little flashlight. Medicines and vaccines could not be kept in a refrigerator.
 
All this was for Solar Without Borders a sign to act. With a team of volunteers, we went in the Easter holidays, to Daga. Through our experience we’ve built up in the past through other projects that we did in Togo and Burkina Faso, we could provide the entire hospital with electricity, in one week time. We installed 15 solar panels that ensure there is light for night deliveries and consultations, there can be used electrical equipment such as ultrasound, a radiology machine, a refrigerator,… But most of all the hospital can finally open his doors. And that the situation of the local population can improve.
Getuigenissen
" It was very hard to cure diseases, take care of pregnant women or treat wounds in a proper way. I cannot find the right words to thank you. "
Karamoko TakaTike (village chief)

 

“ I am Karamoke, head of the village Daga Youndoum Bamabara. I am a farmer, but the village people can come to me with their questions.”
“I am very thankful that SORA has built a hospital here. There are no other hospitals around, we do not have a car and there is no road lighting.
Before we had electricity, we couldn't work in a proper way; it was very hard to cure diseases, take care of pregnant women or wounded people. Now, thanks to the solar panels, the village and the hospital have access to electricity and we are able to preserve vaccines in a fridge and do births during the night. Overall, we can provide better care day and night.”
“I cannot find the right words to thank you. We will pray for the people of Solar Without Borders.”

" Now I can do births without feeling insecure. "
Nurse

“The solar panels are a gift. For some strange reason, women here always seem to give birth in the middle of the night. I used to be afraid when I had to get up to do a birth. I felt insecure because I couldn't see well, I only had a small flash light I held in my mouth. Now, thanks to the solar lighting, I can work under better conditions. I am very thankful to Solar Without Borders.”