ABOUT US

WHO WE ARE

SYRIA SOLAR:

In 2015, the staff at UOSSM, distressed about hospitals in Syria not having stable energy, decided to tackle this immense problem. Patients were dying from a lack of stable electricity in hospitals. After a significant needs assessment and research phase, the first pilot project began construction inside Syria in December 2016. 480 solar panels were installed saving 7,000 litres of diesel a month at the hospital and allowing the ICU, operating rooms and emergency departments to operate without diesel generators. With the overwhelming success of the pilot project, the next phase is to implement solar energy systems in all medical facilities across Syria. Our vision is to have every hospital in Syria on clean, abundant solar energy.

FUND A PROJECT

780

Solar Panels Installed

ABOUT UOSSM

UOSSM (Union des Organisations de Secours et Soins Médicaux) is one of the largest medical aid NGOs inside Syria with over 2,000 staff. UOSSM provides free medical aid to the people of Syria regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion or political affiliation. UOSSM international, founded by Syrian doctors around the world, started in 2012 and operates 12 major hospitals and supports 120 clinics inside Syria. UOSSM has performed over 1,000,000 medical treatments since inception.

OUR STATS

132

Hospitals and Clinics Supported

Operate 12 major hospitals and 120 clinics.

2044

EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE

Over 1300 medical staff inside Syria.

50000

PATIENTS SERVED

Over 50,000 patients served monthly.

ENERGY CRISIS IN SYRIA’S HOSPITALS

When the conflict in Syria started in 2012, major sections of the civilian electrical grid went out of service. Most power stations, transformers, and distribution stations were either bombed, destroyed, or dismantled. Diesel generators emerged as the main source of electricity. As a result, most hospitals became completely dependant on diesel fuel. Any disruption in electricity meant the difference between life and death for patients dependant on life saving equipment.

The dependency on diesel led to price gouging by profiteers and endangered vulnerable communities. Most disturbing of all was the rise of actors who used profits to sustain the cycle of violence in the war economy. Every aspect of civilian life in Syria is affected by energy security.

In June 2015, a humanitarian catastrophe unfolded as diesel supply routes were disrupted to Aleppo, Idlib, and other areas. Farmers went 25 days without water being pumped to irrigate their crops, causing great losses and jeopardizing food security in the region. A number of hospitals went out of service due to the lack of diesel. Turkish authorities later intervened by sending emergency diesel to hospitals. The message was clear, energy resilience is critical for civilian infrastructure and the sustainability of health care facilities.

OUR SOLUTION: THE SUN

‫Renewable energy in the form of solar energy solves this problem. Solar energy has the potential to empower people and communities, is environmentally friendly, and accelerates peace by breaking the vicious cycle of diesel-funded violence. Independent solar projects have been a humanitarian success in post-disaster Haiti, the Gaza strip, post-disaster Nepal and many other places around the world. With continued advancements in technology and declining costs, solar power has become a viable alternative to diesel generators. Geographically, Syria is one of the best places in the world to harness solar energy.

Through an energy resilience study, UOSSM determined that solar panels, when used with an energy storage system and a diesel generator, are the most effective solution for hospital energy management. This system can achieve two very important goals: