Beyond2020 initiative brings solar solution to Rohingya camps
Camp residents now feel safe at night and can roam around freely
Electricians Without Borders, a France-based global non-government organisation, has installed 240 solar home systems and 640 solar individual kits for the displaced Myanmar nationals at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar.
The initiative is led by the Zayed Sustainability Prize under the banner of the Beyond2020 humanitarian initiative, which serves as an extension of the prize. Electricians Without Borders is a previous prize winner.
The rising rate of crimes and security concerns in the Rohingya camps, further compounded by the continuous need for proper sanitation facilities and sufficient lighting, has increased challenges for the Rohingya people.
Against such a backdrop, the Beyond2020 initiative to provide solar solutions in the Rohingya camp has not only ensured better daily living conditions for the refugees, but also played a part in supporting the core objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in alignment with the Zayed Sustainability Prize's ethos, says a press release.
Herve Gouyet, president of Electricians Without Borders, said helping displaced populations gain access to sustainable lighting solutions is essential to help them immediately improve their safety and living conditions inside the camps and also to help them recover and rebuild their lives in a longer-term capacity.
"As an organisation, we have long been the promoters of this key issue and we have a strong track record of intervening in displacement situations after disasters. This is why we decided to intervene in 2018-2019 to help Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, a project that enabled us to win the 2020 Zayed Sustainability Prize in the energy category."
Since the completion of the initiative in March, residents of the camps now feel safe at night and people living in the camps can now roam around freely, maintain social and community activities, access different basic necessities, and complete essential tasks.
Beyond2020 is supported by several UAE-based and international partners, including Abu Dhabi Global Market, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Mubadala Petroleum, the UAE's Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, Masdar, and BNP Paribas.
