World’s first refugee camp powered by renewable energy

Today the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, switched on a newly built solar plant in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp. The solar plant, which cost €8.75 million, has been entirely funded by the IKEA Foundation’s Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, through which the IKEA Foundation granted UNHCR a total of €30.8 million for renewable energy and education projects.

The 2-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant provides electricity to 20,000 Syrian refugees living in almost 5,000 shelters in Azraq camp, covering the energy needs of the two villages connected to the national grid.

Azraq camp opened its doors in April 2014 and is in the desert in northern Jordan, with hot summers and harsh winters. Lack of electricity has been one of the main challenges its residents face, making daily activities difficult, such as cooking, washing clothes, studying or walking safely to the washroom at night, especially for women and children.

Azraq’s solar farm is the first solar plant in the world built in a refugee setting. In Jordan, where the cost of electricity is high, the solar plant will allow UNHCR to provide electricity to families free of cost, savings that UNHCR can now invest in other projects in the camp.

The construction project also provided an income for over 50 refugees, who were trained and employed to build the solar farm under the supervision of the Jordanian solar company Mustakbal, which led the works on site. Some of these workers will be also in charge of maintenance in the future.

The world’s first solar farm in a refugee camp signals a paradigm shift in how the humanitarian sector supports displaced populations,” said Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation. 

UNHCR Jordan will save millions of dollars, while reducing carbon emissions and improving living conditions for some of the world’s most vulnerable children and families. We are very grateful to everyone involved—especially the IKEA customers and co-workers who took part in the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, UNHCR, the Jordanian government, EDCO, and most of all, the Syrian and Jordanian people who made this project a reality.

Partner

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
https://www.unhcr.org/

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Together, we are committed to supporting forcibly displaced people on their path towards self-reliance. 🤝✨
We recognize the importance of empowering displaced individuals, improving livelihoods, and fostering resilient communities.

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to read the complete article.

#ForcedToFlee #Refugees
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☀️ We are proud to support SELCO Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative, along with the Indian Health Ministry. This initiative aims to solarize 25,000 healthcare centres across the country by 2026.

Read the complete article by @apnews. Follow the link in our bio. 

@selcoofficial #EnergyForHealth #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy
  • #DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
🌍 Today, more than 78% of the world’s refugees are trapped in protracted situations. Acknowledging this reality, we announce our partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Together, we are committed to supporting forcibly displaced people on their path towards self-reliance. 🤝✨
We recognize the importance of empowering displaced individuals, improving livelihoods, and fostering resilient communities.

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to read the complete article.

#ForcedToFlee #Refugees
🌍 Today, more than 78% of the world’s refugees are trapped in protracted situations. Acknowledging this reality, we announce our partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Together, we are committed to supporting forcibly displaced people on their path towards self-reliance. 🤝✨ We recognize the importance of empowering displaced individuals, improving livelihoods, and fostering resilient communities. 🔗 Follow the link in our bio to read the complete article. #ForcedToFlee #Refugees
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💡 Shifting the hospitals and clinics to clean energy helps cut emissions in a sector that accounts for about 4.4% of the global figure, according to a study by Health Care Without Harm (@healthcarewithoutharm)
 
☀️ We are proud to support SELCO Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative, along with the Indian Health Ministry. This initiative aims to solarize 25,000 healthcare centres across the country by 2026.

Read the complete article by @apnews. Follow the link in our bio. 

@selcoofficial #EnergyForHealth #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy
💡 Shifting the hospitals and clinics to clean energy helps cut emissions in a sector that accounts for about 4.4% of the global figure, according to a study by Health Care Without Harm (@healthcarewithoutharm) ☀️ We are proud to support SELCO Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative, along with the Indian Health Ministry. This initiative aims to solarize 25,000 healthcare centres across the country by 2026. Read the complete article by @apnews. Follow the link in our bio. @selcoofficial #EnergyForHealth #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy
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#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods?

Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. 

#ForcedToFlee
#DidYouKnow that the IKEA Foundation is supporting partnerships that help forcibly displaced people achieve sustainable livelihoods? Together with our partners, we’re working to empower people forced to flee their homes to build a better life and become part of thriving communities. #ForcedToFlee
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