The global logistics company is transporting a solar energy system free of charge from Vorarlberg to Uganda in East Africa. It is destined for the Palorinya refugee settlement and will replace old diesel generators there.

Catholic missionary Erich Fischnaller is doing important development and construction work in the Palorinya refugee settlement in northern Uganda. This includes providing young people with the education to build an independent existence. With the support of many people, he has set up several training workshops where people can learn trades such as carpentry, metalwork and baking. Until now, the workshops were powered by old diesel generators – an expensive and environmentally unfriendly solution. This is now changing: Photovoltaic system manufacturers and electrical engineering companies from Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein have donated all the components needed for a high-performance photovoltaic system (PV). It can be operated without being connected to the public power grid (off-grid) and generates up to 200 kilowatts of electrical energy.

The global logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is responsible for transporting the solar system to Uganda: "This is an exemplary initiative by companies in the region that helps to give the local population a perspective for the future – and it also makes ecological sense. Solar energy instead of fossil fuels: a sustainable aid project that we are happy to support," says Andreas Bilgeri, Manager of Gebrüder Weiss Air & Sea Wolfurt. The solar energy system will be packed into a 40-foot sea freight container and sent on its way before Christmas. It will first travel by rail from Wolfurt to Rotterdam and then by ship to Mombasa (Kenya). The rest of the journey to Uganda will be by truck.

"I am pleased to partner with Gebrüder Weiss, a globally experienced logistics company based in Vorarlberg. Their expertise streamlines our coordination processes and ensures the solar system will arrive safely and on schedule," says Matthias Burtscher, coordinator of the aid campaign. With the support of many volunteers, the donated PV system modules were assembled, tested and packed at his company's premises before being transported.

About the project

"Solar Power for Palorinya" is a joint project of the Catholic missionary order of the Comboni Missionaries – represented locally by Brother Erich Fischnaller – and numerous companies, associations and individuals from Vorarlberg, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol. Fischnaller, who was born in South Tyrol and began his missionary work in Africa 50 years ago, has been involved in the Palorinya refugee center since 2016. More than 125,000 people live there, most of whom have fled the civil war in neighboring Sudan.

The new solar energy system not only helps save on the high cost of diesel fuel but also makes the most of Uganda's climatic conditions. Due to its location on the equator, the sun shines at a consistently high intensity almost all year round.

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