Global logistics company Gebrüder Weiss recently announced the transport – free-of-charge – of a high-performance photovoltaic (PV) system from Vorarlberg to the Palorinya refugee settlement in northern Uganda. This initiative, dubbed ‘Solar Power for Palorinya’, aims to replace outdated diesel generators with clean, sustainable energy. The new solar system is shipped in a 40-foot container from Wolfurt to Rotterdam by rail, then on to Mombasa, Kenya by sea, before completing its journey to Uganda by truck. The project was spearheaded by Catholic missionary, Erich Fischnaller, who has been instrumental in developing educational and vocational programs in Palorinya since 2016. The settlement, home to over 125,000 people, primarily houses refugees fleeing civil unrest in neighboring Sudan.
Fischnaller’s work has focused on providing young refugees with skills to build independent lives. Several training workshops have been established, offering instruction in carpentry, metalwork, and baking. However, these facilities have relied on costly and environmentally harmful, old, diesel generators for power.
The donated PV system, capable of generating up to 200 kilowatts of off-grid electrical energy, will transform the settlement’s power infrastructure. Companies from Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein have generously contributed all necessary components for the system. This initiative not only addresses immediate energy needs but also capitalizes on Uganda’s equatorial location, which provides consistent, intense sunlight year-round. The switch to solar power will significantly reduce fuel costs and environmental impact, marking a sustainable step forward for the Palorinya settlement.
Andreas Bilgeri, Manager of Gebrüder Weiss Air & Sea Wolfurt, explained: “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.”
Aid campaign coordinator, Matthias Burtscher, remarked: “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.”
