Ethiopia: Solar Power Helps Bring back Water to the Population of Conflict-Affected Lalibela

Mar 21, 2025 | Zerihun Legesse, International Committee of the Red Cross
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For four years or so, the population of Lalibela town is suffering from the effects of conflicts in the northern part of Ethiopia. There has been continuous power interruption. Electricity is necessary to pump water, but electricity in Lalibela comes from Alamata, a town situated in a border area between the Amhara and Tigray regions which is particularly affected by conflict. In Lalibela town, shortage of power is frequent. Because of the power outage, the town water utility has been struggling to pump sufficient quantities of water in Lalibela, with severe water shortages affecting the population. Sometimes they had to bear with electricity and water cuts lasting for several months or more. The ICRC decided to intervene to solve these frequent power cuts through a solar powered water supply project.