8
Photos by iWayAfrica
1 . Winch Energy JOLAspot hub kiosk operator at Bunjako Island , Uganda .
2 . Winch Energy JOLAspot — a front view on Bunjako Island .
1 2
Partnering to accelerate energy to Uganda
Winch Energy and iWayAfrica are to launch the Winch Hub to accelerate energy and Internet access into rural areas of Uganda .
Winch Energy is a global off-grid renewable energy operator and technology integrator , providing turnkey remote power and communication solutions for rural communities . iWayAfrica is a leading African ISP , offering pan-regional connectivity solutions over satellite , fibre , and wireless access networks
Around 80 % of Uganda is unserved by reliable means of electricity , with around 65 % of the population remaining without access to the Internet . Demand for these services among rural populations is significant , and it is up to government and private sector stakeholders to ensure this demand is met , in a rapid and affordable manner .
Under a pilot programme , Winch Energy and iWayAfrica will deploy a remote solar kiosk , the Winch Hub ( WH ), with integrated VSAT equipment to provide high-quality and affordable broadband connectivity . This will be made available to five communities in Bunjako Island , a fishing village on the shores of Lake Victoria , Uganda , which has a population of 20 000 people .
The WH is a bespoke containerised off-grid solution designed and manufactured by Winch , to provide energy and communication services to residential , public , and business customers located in rural environments .
This pilot is the proof of concept for a larger project of more than 250 hubs and remote power units to be installed in rural villages , providing electricity , Wi-Fi , water pumping and cold storage services to households , schools , health centres , and businesses across the country . This effort will be key in helping to accelerate the Ugandan government ’ s broadband strategy , particularly its goal of achieving minimum broadband speeds of 3Mbps and coverage of 100 % of Uganda ’ s rural areas by 2020 .
“ The objective of this pilot is to demonstrate the commercial and economic sustainability of the ‘ multi-service in a box ’ approach , which will help us execute our broader plan of rapidly scaling our technology deployment , alongside key public stakeholders . We are in discussions with local companies to manufacture and assemble our technology on Ugandan soil , which will help boost local economy , open up export opportunities , transfer key skills to local personnel , and shorten the delivery time to customers ,” says Tom Wrigley , director at Winch Energy Group and Winch Energy Uganda .
“ Operating as JOLAspot , the Ku-Band Wi-Fi access service will be available via several access points in the village , with voucher purchases from the WH that will also offer mobile phone charging and printing facilities ,” explains Michèle Scanlon , managing director of iWayAfrica ( VSAT Wholesale Services Division ).
“ iWayAfrica is excited to be part of this community initiative in partnership with Winch Energy , bringing Wi-Fi and reliable Internet connectivity to the village for the first time . Operating
August 2018 Volume 24 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za