Ecorus goes Tanzania with Sopowerful

At Ecorus, we’re always on the lookout for ways to create a positive impact on society. That’s why we’ve committed to donating 1% of our annual profits to charities, for instance the So Powerful foundation.

This year, we’re taking our partnership with So Powerful to the next level! Not only are we donating a portion of our profits, but we’re also rolling up our sleeves and diving in with our expertise and time. Therefore our very own Ecorians, Judith and Matthijs, are heading to Tanzania this month to help install a solar project at a hospital. Stay tuned for an update on their journey and the impact of this incredible project.

Judith, what did you expect from this trip?

I work in logistics/supply chain at Ecorus, but I never got to see how the project comes to life. I expected to see it and immediately witness the direct impact of the system Sopowerful isimplementing at the hospital. Due to some delays the timeline shifted and we didn’t perform all the works we expected. But still I can say that there it really is “solar where it matters most.” They have so many sun hours there, but due to a lack of knowledge and poverty, solar energy is not applied a lot. To be honest, I ddidn’t know much about Tanzania yet, but from the preparatory meetings and this experience I know now that everyone is very friendly. Communication is very different from the Netherlands; we are much more direct and concrete. There, the challenges are very different and it is hard to stick to project planning, and it’s much more “go with the flow.” We can surely learn a lot from each other.

What exactly were you and Matthijs going to do on-site?

We are responsible for site management, directing the people who assemble the solar system, and ensuring that we work according to plan. We will be there precisely during a period when hopefully all materials arrive, and we will receive them. Additionally, our goal is to oversee safety and assess what is needed to work safely. Based on our findings, we will create a Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) plan.

Matthijs and I focused a lot on safety during the period we were there. We bought all safety materials and personal protection equipment in Mwanza and started to make a plan for implementation. We have installed a safetyline on the roof so the workers and cleaners can attach theirselves to the safety line which will prevent them from falling off the roof. There is a pitched, pretty thin roof so it is important to work safely here or accidents can happen very fast. We gave trainings to the person responsible for the solar system and he explained it to the rest of the team. That way he could repeat the instructions and it was a good test to see if he really understood everything. It was good to see how dedicated they all were to work on the safety measures. Besides that, Matthijs instructed the team how to use a solar tester. This device is donated by Ecorus to Sopowerful and it measures the quality of the PV installation.

How do you feel about traveling to Tanzania?

I has been very exciting.. Upfront, the stress was kicking in because I didn’t yet know exactly what I would be doing there or what we will encounter. It was so open. It has been truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.. We have made have contributed to a tangible project that is help people with reliable electricity with all our heart.

It was impressive to see what they can do with so little.  Everyone was so friendly and willing to help, even though it was though sometimes to communicate with each other. This hospital has a lot of opportunities to grow and the solar system will definitely give them a boost in the right direction.

Has the project been a success for you?

It has been a success! I mainly focused on the supply chain side of the project, as well as the HSE preparations and a dozen of other topics that needed our support. The Sunbeam substructure will arrive at the hospital in the next days, and all the rest of the components, including the panels and cabling and the batteries are being arranged by Sopowerful.

In terms of preparation the project has been a real success!

It was unfortunate that the timeline of this project has shifted and materials were delayed and therefore we weren’t able to start up the works of the project. It would have been great to work with the Sunbeam mounting structure in Tanzania.

However, we did complete the HSE trainings with the staff and this has been a great succes. We supplied personal protection equipment and explained them how and when to use it. They were really interested in this topic and we noticed that they understood the importance of safety on the roof. They will also get a manual with work instructions and someone has been appointed to supervise this topic.

Thanks for this amazing collaboration So Powerful and Sunbeam!