“The solar powered community tablet brings information in image and digital format to remote communities where the population does not have access electric power, television, and internet” - Mestre Mario Moises Fonseca-UEM

The Pilot project on health promotion and awareness about the measures to prevent the COVID19 pandemic in rural areas using ICTs is an initiative of Kamaleon technology in partnership with the provincial health directorate and final year students of psychology and anthropology at Eduardo Mondlane University as part of a communal strategy to disseminate information and educate the masses about COVID19 preventive measures

Reaching out to rural communities, the initiative’s main purpose is to disseminate information about COVID 19 using a solar powered community tablet, a mechanism which aims at promoting digital literacy and civic education campaigns in communities believing that the use of ICTs and digital content can allow quick and effective dissemination of information

In the pilot phase alone, communities 320 people in the districts of Matutuine, Moamba, and Magude particularly those located far from the headquarters were reached. The campaign was vital in understanding the level of knowledge that remote communities have about the COVID19 pandemic and disseminating health promotion messages and COVID 19 preventive measures using the community tablet. Besides, clarification about the disease, ways of transmission, and preventive measures were made.

The COVID19 education digital campaign makes use of a solar powered giant community tablet to display videos with information about the pandemic whose contents were approved by the Maputo Province Executive Board (Maputo Province Health Directorate). During the campaigns the health team explains to participants who are placed in groups of 20 with a distance 1.5 metres from each other about how to use the tablet to obtain information about the pandemic. Activities conducted also include; demonstration of the correct way to wash hands, showing videos in Portuguese and the local language (Ronga) about COVID 19, and the distribution of homemade fabric masks

“The communities received the initiative with satisfaction because they received more information about the pandemic, its signs, symptoms, and means of prevention, as well as examples of the right way to wash hand”

Consequently, the community tablet was recognized as an asset to support the most disadvantaged communities owing to its ability to mitigate the spread of COVID 19 in the marginalized communities using solar powered technology.

“We recommend the use of the solar powered community tablet for other awareness activities in the health sector such as conducting mobile brigades, breast and cervical cancer screening, offering family planning methods information services, and the management and logistics of vaccines from a cold chain and the use of inbuilt facilities for interactivity such as online consultations and registration. ”----- Provincial Health Director, Dr. Daniel Arlindo Chemane, General Practitioner.

There is global consensus that climate change is a serious treat for the planet. Countries like Mozambique are highly exposed to the effects of climate change. Worldwide it is also accepted that there is need to speed up economy decabornization and move away from fossil fuels.

The Mozambican Government is commended for bold commitments towards the achievement of sustainable development goal 7: ("Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all ) in particular for the successful implementation of the “Energia para Todos” program with over 100 000 new connections since beginning 2021, commitment to support increased capacity generation from renewable energy through competitive initiatives such as PROLER/ GET.Fit ; and the operationalization of the Energy Regulatory Authority (ARENE).

According to the multi-stakeholder energy working group report, there has been increased rates of access to energy from 31% in 2020 to 34% in 2021 and this is attributed to numerous efforts under the “Energia para todos” programme with support from various development partners in the energy sector. The development of several key generation projects including the Central Termica Temane which will be crucial for meeting the increased demand for electricity in the southern parts of the country, and new solar power plants in northern Mozambique, including Tetereane and Metoro has largely contributed to this growth.

The adoption of renewable energy technologies is part and parcel of Mozambique’s intended Nationally Determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Policy actions geared toward the achievement of the long term Paris agreement goals include; the New and Renewable Energy Development Strategy (2011 to 2025); Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Energy from Biomass Energy Strategy (2014 to 2025); Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff Regulation (REFIT); and the Renewable Energy Atlas for Mozambique. Based on the mentioned policy actions, the country estimates on a preliminary basis, the total reduction of about 76,5 MtCO2eq in the period from 2020 to 2030, with 23,0 MtCO2eq by 2024 and 53,4 MtCO2eq from 2025 to 2030.

Optimistically the effective implementation of the fore-stated action points will limit the GHG emissions and at the same time contribute to the betterment of the wellbeing of Mozambicans through the increase of the access to renewable energy sources and to basic services like sanitation, health, and education. Besides, Mozambique is willing to participate in the market mechanisms to be established which would allow access to clean technologies in order to mitigate the emissions arising from exploiting, managing and using the natural capital that is available

The Government’s commitment to increase up to 20% by 2040 contribution of new renewable energy sources to the energy matrix notwithstanding, strategic decisions about main sources of energy will be required in view of the changes the global economy is experiencing. Moreover, as the country advances in development and industrialization, Mozambique needs to move strategically and fast towards the achievement of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as per the Paris Agreement on Climate change.

A series of virtual thematic sessions will be held from the 26 to 29th September to mark the Africa Climate Week 2021 with the aim of accelerating collaboration and integrating climate action into global pandemic recovery. The ACW will focus on three thematic areas namely; National actions and A series of virtual thematic sessions will be held from the 26 to 29th September to mark the Africa Climate Week 2021 with the aim of accelerating collaboration and integrating climate action into global pandemic recovery. The ACW will focus on three thematic areas namely; National actions and economy-wide approaches, Integrated approaches for climate-resilient development and Seizing transformation opportunities.

Find out more here >>>>https://unfccc.int/ACW2021

In recognition of the Africa Climate Week and complimenting global efforts for integrated climate resilient approaches, the TSE4ALLM project partner @Climate Science offers free online short courses in Portuguese and English covering a wide range of subjects related to climate change and renewable energy. The purpose is to mutually promote climate change education, specifically with regards to renewable energy in Mozambique.

Here are 10 quick steps you can follow to complete the short courses and obtain a certificate of completion!

1.Go to https://climatescience.org/pt/
2.Create an account.
3.Click "Cadastrar-se" in the top right corner.
4.Enter your email address and create a password.
5.Once you have created an account, you can sign yourself in whenever you want to complete a course!
6.To complete a course, click on: Aprenda --> Cursos.
7.Choose the course you would like to complete, for example, "Energia Limpa".
8.Complete the course.
9.At the end of the course (when you have completed all the modules), you can press "Get Certificate"
10.Download a certificate with your name on it.

Please find the links to both English and Portuguese versions of the TSE4ALLM  July issue below;,

PT - https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=5ef47fcb867884c266e055b6f&id=e5612e404e

EN- https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=5ef47fcb867884c266e055b6f&id=9dcfb68cf5

Our previous newsletters can be found at the link below;

https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=5ef47fcb867884c266e055b6f&id=94ef7d3201