CSR

Getting Power from Africa’s Sun

This year, Container Centralen has decided to support SOS Children’s Village instead of sending out Seasons Greetings to customers and business partners. A donation of 25,000 DKK goes to the organisation’s work in Mombasa, Kenya.

They attract attention and make daily life easier – and they save lives. The SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya now have solar cells. Once again, Container Centralen has decided to support SOS Children’s Villages instead of sending out Seasons Greetings to customers and business partners in 2011. A donation of 25,000 DKK goes to the SOS Children’s Village in Mombasa, Kenya.

Since March 2011, the SOS Children’s Village in Mombasa has been powered by a brand new solar cell system. In this village, children and young people with no parents live together with the SOS mothers in a family environment. The village is 30 years old and in connection with a recent renovation project environmentally friendly initiatives were made.

Solar power has a great potential in Kenya where the public energy supply cannot keep up with the demand. The energy supply is unreliable and there are regular power cuts. Before, the SOS mothers often had to get up and prepare breakfast for the children in darkness. But the solar cells not only make daily tasks easier and save on fossil fuels. In many villages there are medical clinics which help thousands of families in need and here the solar cells can potentially save lives as they don’t have sudden breakdowns.

“We are very happy with the solar cells. They are cheaper in the long run, stable and better for the environment,” says Ruth Okowa, National Director of SOS Children's Villages Kenya – Nairobi.

Photo: All the children have learnt how solar power works. Hopefully this will inspire them and the next generations and teach them that renewable energy is best – for Africa and for the rest of the world.

"Familier med kræftramte børn" (Families with children with cancer)

"Foreningen Danmarks Børn" (Children of Denmark Association)