Solar Energy Powers 92 Rural Clinics in Mozambique

How bridge financing helped restore care and dignity to remote communities through solar-powered health facilities.

In the rural heart of Sofala province, Mozambique, where distance and darkness once hindered access to healthcare, light is now transforming healthcare. In partnership with SolarWorks!, Signify Foundation supported the electrification of 92 primary health facilities, bringing clean, reliable solar power to underserved communities. 

For years, these clinics operated without electricity, making nighttime emergencies and births nearly impossible to manage. “Before, we had to wait until sunrise for procedures. Now we can act when it matters most,” shared one nurse. With the installation of solar systems, health workers can safely provide round-the-clock care, and patients can receive treatment when they need it. 

The project’s success was supported by a timely recoverable grant from Signify Foundation. Although the overall initiative was backed by USAID, funding was only disbursed after installation. The grant acted as vital bridge financing, allowing SolarWorks!, a social enterprise serving off-grid communities in Southern Africa, to secure inventory upfront and meet urgent timelines. 

Beyond improved healthcare delivery, these clinics have become community hubs as the only places in some areas with electricity. People now gather there to socialize, seek help, and feel a sense of safety and connection. In this way, access to light has extended hope well beyond the clinical setting. 

The project also highlighted a broader insight: liquidity remains a major hurdle for social enterprises in the solar sector. Flexible tools like recoverable grants can unlock the ability to act quickly, catalyze meaningful impact, and demonstrate what’s possible at scale when the right support is in place.