In Guinea-Bissau, people are dying because of Ebola, while hospitals either refuse to take patients or have shut down as the nurses and doctors have died. The health service has completely broken down and people are largely left to manage on their own with little knowledge and few means. In cooperation with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), WakaWakas have been distributed to local Ebola health teams, treatment clinics and isolation centres that have no access to electricity. This helps health teams to treat Ebola victims after sunset and allows citizens to better protect themselves from getting infected.
After the Ebola crisis has been contained, the WakaWakas will still be useful. It contributes to socio-economic development and is a clean, safe and sustainable alternative for the toxic kerosene lights.