LITUHI: TANZANIA - Turning Point

A NEW AND ESSENTIAL STEP has been taken in the project to develop service capacity and sustainability at St. Elizabeth Diocesan Hospital in Lituhi – Diocese of Mbinga, Tanzania, with the installation of the first photovoltaic system to power the hospital's utilities.

With the implementation of safe water for consumption through photovoltaic well pumping, and improvements to various equipment, especially diagnostic and laboratory equipment, furnishings, and some facilities, stable energy availability is the priority. Unfortunately, the national grid's power supply is unstable and unpredictable, with only a few hours between day and night, and no immediate improvements expected. The newly installed system represents an initial, stable response to enable the safe and efficient use of available equipment.

THE WORK CARRIED OUT IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS, in collaboration with our friends in Sardinia who shared the hospital's needs with us, has marked a tangible turning point in its mission.
The number of patients, both outpatient and inpatient, is steadily growing, a sign of renewed confidence.
The administration has managed its revenues effectively, investing primarily in expanding the healthcare workforce and acquiring a third doctor, a surgeon, with considerable professional experience that can be shared

THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE, and the commitment it requires. Nonetheless, the path appears firmly underway. This is all the more important for a health center like this, which, by its very nature, is committed to providing care even to those—and there are certainly many—who cannot afford it.
While a further shipment of medical equipment is being organized, plans are beginning to install a second photovoltaic system, with double the capacity.
This project is demanding in terms of resources, but it can significantly increase the energy available for utilities and mitigate the risk of operational disruption.

THE HOSPITAL PROJECT HAS ENDED EXTENDING TO THE ENTIRE LITUHI COMMUNITY, including through other initiatives, such as the creation of a vocational training and work center: a carpentry shop, a tailoring workshop, and a computer lab.

This 12kWp system is powered by 50 FuturaSun 250Wp panels, shipped via container and installed on the ground; along with a Sunsync 12kW single-phase inverter, eight Sunsynk 40kWh lithium batteries, electronics, wiring, lightning protection, and panel support structures. The system has a daily capacity of 40-50kWh. This is an initial contribution to the overall energy requirement, estimated at over 300kWh per day, also considering additional equipment to supplement the current ones; increasingly sustainable equipment will help contain this demand. The system is connected to the various pavilions of the large complex, except for the analysis laboratory, which is reserved for the existing small 3kW PV system. Supply and installation were carried out by Begeca, a German ecclesiastical cooperation organization, which, also with a contribution, thus initiated an initial collaboration with Lituhi.

Mauro Palombo
NP February 2026