Mobile solar power bringing digital learning to refugees in remote settlement locations

Uganda has long embraced the settlement approach for hosting refugees and is currently home to 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers. In the West Nile region alone, 797,500 refugees live in settlements, where humanitarian assistance, such as food and cash transfers, has been a lifeline. 

However, there is a growing need to shift focus from aid dependency to long-term solutions. That’s where Uganda’s settlement model, supported by the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), comes in.

With the rise of the digital age, UNHCR, alongside UNICEF and ILO, launched the "Connected Learning, Digital Skilling, and Microwork Sustainable Solutions" project under the PROSPECTS partnership. The goal is to boost the livelihoods of young refugees and local communities by providing them with digital skills and opportunities for decent jobs in Uganda’s growing digital economy.

However, there’s a big challenge: power. Many parts of the refugee settlements in West Nile are remote and lack electricity, making it difficult for some young people, especially those out of school, to participate in the digital training programmess. Schools with access to solar power are in a better position to benefit from this project, but many young refugees are still left behind.

Enter John Paul Ojok, an Assistant Project Officer with UNHCR, who has come up with an innovative solution to this challenge. Ojok developed a mobile solar power box capable of powering 20 tablets, 10 laptops, and a projector at the same time. 

This portable unit, made up of a solar panel, a gel battery, an inverter, and a charge controller, is now enabling digital learning in areas without electricity, ensuring that more young refugees can benefit from the programme.

The mobile solar power box has already been tested and used successfully in various learning sessions. Beyond the current project, it’s also being utilized by other UNHCR teams for activities like resettlement interviews, where staff would typically rely on generators.

Ojok believes the mobile solar power unit will make a big difference. 

"It will support not only the beneficiaries of the project but the entire refugee population in Uganda, especially in areas without access to electricity. It’s a cheaper and cleaner alternative," he says.

This innovation is also a step toward reducing UNHCR’s carbon footprint, as it cuts down on the use of fuel-powered generators in refugee settlements. With this mobile solution, UNHCR can now extend its reach, offering digital training to even the most remote parts of the settlements while contributing to a greener environment.

The mobile solar power box has already been tested in Rhino Camp and Imvepi Refugee Settlements and promises to be a game-changer for digital learning and beyond.