Unikin Congo

The project is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC), specifically in the Kongo Central province, between the towns of Kwilu-Ngongo and Mbanza-Ngungu, at the school "EP Kunda Masangu," situated between the villages of Kunda and Masangu. The national languages include French, Lingala, Kikongo ya leta, Swahili, and Tshiluba, with communication primarily in French or English during meetings with partners and Congolese students, which will be confirmed at the initial meeting.

The climate in the region is divided into two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The project will take place during the "long dry season" from May to August, characterized by temperatures ranging from 16°C to 28°C, mostly clear skies, and a dry yet slightly humid environment, with an average of 12 hours of daylight throughout the year. The global horizontal irradiance is measured at 4.8 kWh/m².

Key components of the installation that are particularly vulnerable to theft include batteries, solar panels, and inverters due to their high value. Additionally, depending on the selected components for the electrical circuit, some rare earth metals may attract theft as well.

The school has 780 students and 22 staff members, although specific needs have yet to be fully determined. According to documents provided by the school, the project involves a photovoltaic (PV) and battery setup for various applications, including lighting, educational computer tools, and refrigeration. Additionally, the water collection and purification system is expected to handle 5 m³ of water per day, equating to 1.5 liters per person daily; however, the exact daily consumption and whether different purification levels are needed for drinking and cooking water remain unclear.