When solar panels were delivered to the Luena maternity ward in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this year, huge crowds showed up for the big day. The center, run by the local United Methodist church, previously had no electricity. Where kerosene lanterns once provided the only source of light at night, reliable solar power now helps medical staff more confidently deliver the first-rate care that local mothers and newborns need 24 hours a day.
Since 2012, our Global Health Unit has issued grants to renovate 24 United Methodist health facilities in Sierra Leone, Liberia, DRC, Zimbabwe, and Cote d’Ivoire. In some places where our grants have revitalized medical facilities, patient visits have increased 10-fold! People who once put off care they needed are now getting it, and that’s helping to save lives.
From a letter by Dr. Olusimbo Ige, Director of Global Health, General Board of Global Ministries
