NEF partnered with GivePower for the first time in May 2020 to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal.

In 2018, GivePower installed its first solar water farm (SWF) in Kenya: a desalinisation system which provides 35,000 litres potable water per day. Since then, GivePower has been fine-tuning a sustainable SWF model, one which is especially pertinent as good hygiene practices are essential to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

NextEnergy Foundation has contributed to the installation of a ‘Mobi’ system in the Cabo de la Vela commmunity, La Guajira, Colombia. The desalinisation system will provide potable water for up to 3,000 people every day for 20 years. GivePower has partnered with the University of California, Berkeley’s Energy Resource Group to conduct impact studies on the SWFs. Key impacts envisaged for the Mobi are related to the environment, health and female empowerment.

July 2022 Update: As of 31st July, 509,000 litres of potable water have been generated and distributed through the Mobi to an average of 1,600 customers per week. The revenue from the sales to date are USD 5,551. These revenues are utilised to pay the salary of Yenny, the site manager (pictured above), and re-invested into the operation and maintenance of the Mobi. Yenny manages a team of three volunteers from the local Wayuu indigenous community who oversee the Mobi’s operation.