Prof. Jan Hoinkis, the coordinator of PrAEctiCe from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, signed on behalf of PrAEctiCe, while Prof. Michael Kauffeld, representing the Institute for Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Environmental Technology at Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences signed on behalf of the SophiA project.

The Sustainable Off-grid solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA) project aims to bring sustainable energy and clean water to rural health facilities in Africa. With the European Union (EU) funding, the project will create energy solutions for hospitals using natural resources like solar power. This will help these health facilities have reliable electricity, heating, and refrigeration for medicine and access to safe drinking water. The project will also support local manufacturing and testing in four rural hospitals to promote sustainable development and improve the quality of life in African communities. The systems will undergo testing and demonstration at four rural hospitals in remote African regions. These hospitals will be strategically located to cover diverse geographical areas and varying climatic conditions in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, and Uganda.

The project’s common country is Uganda, where PrAEctiCe also has established a living laboratory for aquaculture and hydroponics in Kajjansi. Establishing the PrAEctiCe living lab will encompass the exploration of different combinations of fish and vegetables with varying water, energy, and nutrient demands. PrAEctiCe aims to pilot these combinations to optimise the utilisation of water, energy, and nutrient resources.

The partners have agreed to collaborate on specific activities where their project focuses overlap. They will share knowledge and best practices and organise events and communication activities to benefit both parties. Through their synergy in this area, both consortia can work more effectively towards their project goals. Therefore, PrAEctiCe and SophiA will work together on a strategic collaboration. They will share best practices and information about success stories with their broader networks through social media and other forms of communication to ensure that the EU and African partners benefit from knowledge exchange.