LG donates solar-powered fridges to West Pokot County

Catherine Omenda, the  World Vision Director ( Kenya) receives a donation of 
solar-powered refrigerators worth Ksh2.2 million from Oktae Kim the LG Head of 
ome AppliancesThe new refrigerators were developed in response to absence of 
power supply in some areas, erratic power supply and extended
 power cuts in most parts of the country that often leaves 
home appliances such as refrigerators ineffective.

LG Electronics has donated five solar-powered refrigerators worth ksh2.2 million to West Pokot County through World Vision Kenya targeting. The donation targets seven health facilities currently experiencing challenges maintaining a cold chain system for laboratory of reagents, pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

The health facilities will each receive a fridge that will provide fridges to store vaccines and other medical equipment with the aim of improving immunization coverage among children under five years and pregnant and lactating women.

The health facilities benefiting from this donation cover all the four sub-counties within west Pokot County. Each of these health facilities (Kasei Health Facility in Pokot North, Kauriong in Pokot North, Nachecheyet and Chepnyal Health facilities in West Pokot and Nyag’aita Health Facility in Pokot Central) will each get one fridge.

“We manufacture products that fit the needs of our consumers and this donation is another cutting-edge technological innovation based on customers’ insights and the need to provide human-centric technological solutions,” said Tae-Ick Son, the Managing Director LG East and Central Africa.

Mr Son said the new off-grid power supply fridge comes with an LG Inverter Compressor that adjusts cooling power in response to the amount of medical supplies you load in the refrigerator which provides efficient energy consumption.

“Cooling power is controlled automatically according to the internal and external temperature conditions of the refrigerator,” he added.  The new off-grid power supply refrigerator is 36 percent more energy efficient than traditional models.

World Vision has been implementing several development projects within West Pokot County. Up to early this year the organisation has been running three Area Development Programme (ADP) in the county.

They are; Marich Pass, Sook and Orwa ADPs, whose coverage is 118,680 people out of the total county population of 512, 690 (2009 Census). These programmes covered a total 2,038 KM2, compared to the total West Pokot area of 8,418.2 km²; Orwa and Sook ADPs are still operational until 2023.

World Vision has also supported the formation and strengthening of seven community units improving provision of community health services to more than 7,000 households. World vision has also supported the Ministry of health in West Pokot County with equipment’s for health facilities worth Sh1.6 million

Vast areas of West Pokot County are arid and semi-arid; hence most people rely on livestock for their livelihood. According to West Pokot health Sector Strategic Plan, health indicators in the county are generally lower than World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.

Songwoo Cheon, Assistant Product Manager Home Appliances at
LG East Africa is decorated by a Pokot Resident shortly after
LG Electronics donated of solar-powered refrigerators worth Ksh2.2 million
to West Pokot for the storage of laboratory of reagents, pharmaceutical
and vaccines in the County.  

The current donation from LG Electronics to World Vision Kenya will strengthen these ongoing health interventions that are carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in West Pokot County. This is in line with the current World Vision Kenya strategy that seeks to improve health and nutrition status of children less than five years, pregnant women and lactating mothers within communities in Kenya.