ALONGSIDE HOPE
(formerly called
Primate World Relief Development Fund)
Alongside Hope: Anglicans and partners working for change in Canada and around the world. Donate by reaching out to Alongside Hope directly, giving through monthly donations with PAR or placing an envelope on your church's collection plate.
(formerly called
Primate World Relief Development Fund)
Alongside Hope: Anglicans and partners working for change in Canada and around the world. Donate by reaching out to Alongside Hope directly, giving through monthly donations with PAR or placing an envelope on your church's collection plate.
March 26, 2026 By Janice Biehn
In 2025, Alongside Hope continued its almost decade-long project to provide life-saving solar power to rural health clinics without reliable electricity. Coming Alongside Hope with Light raised more than $170,000 to install Solar Suitcases in Mozambique and Madagascar. The Solar Suitcase is mounted to the clinic wall and connects to a solar panel on the roof. The suitcase opens to reveal two medical grade lights, a fetal Doppler, a head lamp, phone charging outlets and more, all powered by the sun.
Since 2016, Alongside Hope has funded 79 Solar Suitcases in Mozambique’s Nampula Province, working with local partner EHALE, and supply partner We Care Solar. This third phase in 2025 raised funds to install an additional 35 Solar Suitcases in Mozambique, and 14 Solar Suitcases in Madagascar with Pivot Health.
Reliable electricity is essential for safe childbirth, nighttime emergencies and patient care. Without reliable electricity at night there can be tragic consequences. Health workers struggle in near-darkness, unable to detect life-threatening conditions, treat complications or deliver timely emergency care.
In Madagascar, many facilities in Vatovavy region operate without stable power. Pivot Health is a non-government organization that works alongside the Ministry of Health. When the 14 Solar Suitcases arrived in Madagascar, expert technician Wadson Muchemwa trained the Pivot and Ministry of Health teams in Solar Suitcase installation and maintenance. “This involved a combination of didactic and hands-on learning with a core group,” said Madeleine Beebe, Director of Development for Pivot Health. “They then went on to install the Solar Suitcases and train health staff at each centre on their upkeep and use. The core group worked with Wadson to absorb the information they needed and master the installation process.”
Now 14 maternity wards in Nosy Varika and Mananjary are fully equipped with dependable lighting and power for childbirth, nighttime emergencies and maternal and newborn care. These upgrades mark a major step toward more resilient service delivery across the region, reducing health facilities’ vulnerability to power interruptions and strengthening the safety and quality of care in remote communities.
“As any midwife knows, babies decide when they are ready to be born,” said Maothaline Antonie Raharilalaina, a midwife and head of Fanivelona Health Centre in Nosy Varika District. “Before, when a birth happened at night, we would use the flashlights on our phones for light. It is such a relief to know that we no longer have to manage nighttime deliveries in the dark.”
While the work in Madagascar has proceeded smoothly, the installation of Solar Suitcases in Mozambique has faced delays due to administrative challenges and unprecedented flooding in Nampula and neighbouring Zambezia province, which damaged roads and bridges. However, Alongside Hope and EHALE are now confident the 34 suitcases will be installed in the very near future.
Nurse Itelvina looks forward to the installation of the Solar Suitcase in her clinic.They can’t come soon enough for Itelvina, a nurse at the Zimpeto Health Centre. “Performing a delivery in the dark is one of the most difficult experiences I have faced as a nurse, and it is a constant challenge here.”
Nurse Zulmira of the Boquisso Health Centre echoes Itelvina’s anticipation. “It will be a great advantage because with this support, light will reach the areas that remain dark at night. It will improve the quality of patient care and make our work easier. It will also reduce costs for the facility. Sometimes we have to turn off other machines just to keep the maternity running.”
While nurses and midwives and patients await, EHALE and Alongside Hope are working to finalize the installation plan, as well as select people who will be trained in specific considerations for the installation of the suitcases.
The needs in Mozambique are considerable. Despite the challenges in implementation, Alongside Hope remains committed to enabling health care workers to deliver babies safely during the night. For 2026, plans are underway to install 25 more Solar Suitcases in Nampula Province as well as neighbouring Zambezia Province.
In 2025, Alongside Hope continued its almost decade-long project to provide life-saving solar power to rural health clinics without reliable electricity. Coming Alongside Hope with Light raised more than $170,000 to install Solar Suitcases in Mozambique and Madagascar. The Solar Suitcase is mounted to the clinic wall and connects to a solar panel on the roof. The suitcase opens to reveal two medical grade lights, a fetal Doppler, a head lamp, phone charging outlets and more, all powered by the sun.
Since 2016, Alongside Hope has funded 79 Solar Suitcases in Mozambique’s Nampula Province, working with local partner EHALE, and supply partner We Care Solar. This third phase in 2025 raised funds to install an additional 35 Solar Suitcases in Mozambique, and 14 Solar Suitcases in Madagascar with Pivot Health.
Reliable electricity is essential for safe childbirth, nighttime emergencies and patient care. Without reliable electricity at night there can be tragic consequences. Health workers struggle in near-darkness, unable to detect life-threatening conditions, treat complications or deliver timely emergency care.
In Madagascar, many facilities in Vatovavy region operate without stable power. Pivot Health is a non-government organization that works alongside the Ministry of Health. When the 14 Solar Suitcases arrived in Madagascar, expert technician Wadson Muchemwa trained the Pivot and Ministry of Health teams in Solar Suitcase installation and maintenance. “This involved a combination of didactic and hands-on learning with a core group,” said Madeleine Beebe, Director of Development for Pivot Health. “They then went on to install the Solar Suitcases and train health staff at each centre on their upkeep and use. The core group worked with Wadson to absorb the information they needed and master the installation process.”
Now 14 maternity wards in Nosy Varika and Mananjary are fully equipped with dependable lighting and power for childbirth, nighttime emergencies and maternal and newborn care. These upgrades mark a major step toward more resilient service delivery across the region, reducing health facilities’ vulnerability to power interruptions and strengthening the safety and quality of care in remote communities.
“As any midwife knows, babies decide when they are ready to be born,” said Maothaline Antonie Raharilalaina, a midwife and head of Fanivelona Health Centre in Nosy Varika District. “Before, when a birth happened at night, we would use the flashlights on our phones for light. It is such a relief to know that we no longer have to manage nighttime deliveries in the dark.”
While the work in Madagascar has proceeded smoothly, the installation of Solar Suitcases in Mozambique has faced delays due to administrative challenges and unprecedented flooding in Nampula and neighbouring Zambezia province, which damaged roads and bridges. However, Alongside Hope and EHALE are now confident the 34 suitcases will be installed in the very near future.
Nurse Itelvina looks forward to the installation of the Solar Suitcase in her clinic.They can’t come soon enough for Itelvina, a nurse at the Zimpeto Health Centre. “Performing a delivery in the dark is one of the most difficult experiences I have faced as a nurse, and it is a constant challenge here.”
Nurse Zulmira of the Boquisso Health Centre echoes Itelvina’s anticipation. “It will be a great advantage because with this support, light will reach the areas that remain dark at night. It will improve the quality of patient care and make our work easier. It will also reduce costs for the facility. Sometimes we have to turn off other machines just to keep the maternity running.”
While nurses and midwives and patients await, EHALE and Alongside Hope are working to finalize the installation plan, as well as select people who will be trained in specific considerations for the installation of the suitcases.
The needs in Mozambique are considerable. Despite the challenges in implementation, Alongside Hope remains committed to enabling health care workers to deliver babies safely during the night. For 2026, plans are underway to install 25 more Solar Suitcases in Nampula Province as well as neighbouring Zambezia Province.
| solar_suitcases_light_the_way_to_safer_healthcare_in_madagascar.pdf |
| voices_of_hope.pdf |
| 12_march_22nd_alongside_hope.pdf |
Mission to Seafarers Christmas Shoebox Campaign: Every Christmas we collect shoebox items and send to Mission to Seafarers in Halifax. This list is deemed as essential items the seafarers generally and personally need onboard—Hat, Scarf or neck warmer, Gloves, Socks, Wrapped hard candy (no chocolate), Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Shampoo or body wash (no larger than 375ml to fit in a shoebox), Shaving foam, Razors, Deodorant, Lip balm, Playing cards, Souvenir of Canada, Pen/pencil, Small packages of tissues, Comb, Christmas card, Bible (supplied by mission), Mementos of NS, PEI or Canada.
Their team of shoebox experts quality checks the contents of shoeboxes we received if they are already stuffed with items. Otherwise, the items placed in the box are carefully identified and limited only to the above list. The list is deemed as essential items the seafarers generally and personally need onboard.
All shoeboxes are gift-wrapped by a team of volunteers, signifying the gifts are produced with joy, love, and passion, driven by the spirit of Christmas.
(https://www.missiontoseafarershalifax.ca/)
Their team of shoebox experts quality checks the contents of shoeboxes we received if they are already stuffed with items. Otherwise, the items placed in the box are carefully identified and limited only to the above list. The list is deemed as essential items the seafarers generally and personally need onboard.
All shoeboxes are gift-wrapped by a team of volunteers, signifying the gifts are produced with joy, love, and passion, driven by the spirit of Christmas.
(https://www.missiontoseafarershalifax.ca/)
The Lions Club is happy to accept donations of used eye glasses and hearing aids. Please bring them along to any of our churches to be collected later. SMB Lions Club have the following equipment available for loan, free of charge, to members of the community: Chair Lifts, Wheelchairs, Hospital Beds, Walkers, Crutches, Canes, Bath/Shower chair accessories.(https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/stmargaretsbay/)
Help the Anglican Parish of French Village with their Community Outreach:
Pop Can Tabs: You can help purchase a Wheel Chair for a Veteran by bringing Pop Can Tabs (or tabs from other containers) tabs to Saint George’s Church and place them in the labeled container in the vestibule or reach out directly to the Parish--Parish Office -[email protected] or Website Administrator - [email protected].
Pop Can Tabs: You can help purchase a Wheel Chair for a Veteran by bringing Pop Can Tabs (or tabs from other containers) tabs to Saint George’s Church and place them in the labeled container in the vestibule or reach out directly to the Parish--Parish Office -[email protected] or Website Administrator - [email protected].