As with many countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have large rural populations, energy supply is a critical barrier to healthcare delivery as the majority of rural health centers – serving a large percentage of the population- are off the electrical grid. Rural health clinics struggle to provide refrigeration for vaccines and essential medicines, lighting and power for instrument sterilizers and other medical devices.
In response to a critical lack of fuel to support the cold chain in Mozambique, VillageReach and Fundacao para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (FDC) established VidaGas, a Mozambique for-profit propane distribution company. While the business was established initially to supply remote health centers, the company has increased its scale to take advantage of additional markets. Today VidaGas is not only profitable, but the largest propane distributor in northern Mozambique, shipping to health centers, residences, businesses and government agencies in four provinces.
