Prime Minister, Government Officials and Frazer Solar/Frazium Energy announce the successful installation of 92 solar-powered hot water units, covering every government medical clinic in Eswatini
H.E. Themba N. Masuku, Prime Minister (Acting) of Eswatini, has announced the completion of a major nationwide solar-energy project, bringing hot-running water to every government healthcare clinic in Eswatini following a 9-month programme.
The completion was marked today in a handover ceremony hosted by the Prime Minister and Robert Frazer, CEO of Frazer Solar/Frazium Energy (‘Frazer Solar’), and supported by Eswatini’s Minister of Health, Hon. Lizzy Nkosi, H.E. Mr Martin Schäfer, German Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, and H.E. Ms Esmeralda Hernandez Aragones, EU Ambassador to Eswatini, at the Lobamba clinic.
The project successfully installed 92 solar-powered hot-water units to provide free hot running water for medical staff and patients’ use. The project was co-funded by German development finance organisation KFW-DEG and Frazer Solar, using technology developed and designed specifically for use in Eswatini by Frazium Energy.
Prior to COVID-19, 82% of government medical clinics had no access to hot running water, making the completion of this project one of the most significant healthcare successes in recent history for Eswatini.
Speaking at the handover, H.E. Themba N. Masuku, Prime Minister (Acting) of Eswatini, said:
“It is a pleasure to accept the handover of these solar Hot Water Stations from Frazer Solar Frazium Energy and the German government. This is the type of assistance we really appreciate. Assistance that provides a real and tangible benefit to all Emaswati. These Hot Water Stations have been installed on all government medical clinics across the Kingdom and will benefit 10,000 people per day. This is a great achievement.”
Robert Frazer, CEO of Frazer Solar, said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for accessible water and sanitation on the African continent. A year ago, many clinics did not have any or sufficient hot water for patients and staff to use but we are very proud to stand here today with 92 solar units providing free, hot water for clinics and patients for years to come.”
The solar hot water project is part of a larger renewables project to provide eSwatini with a solar energy storage capacity.
With the completion of this clinic project, Frazer Solar hopes to extend its contribution in the Kingdom of Eswatini by providing further solar geyser hot water stations across the Kingdom. The project is jointly funded by the German government entity KfW-DEG and Frazer Solar.