On 16 September 2025, prior to travelling to Gambia for the ESEF 2025 mission, the Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), Yosr Allouche, made a strategic stop in Dakar, Senegal. The visit aimed to engage with key Senegalese stakeholders who have shown strong interest in the outcomes and future collaboration opportunities of…
The SophiA project has entered an exciting new phase in Cameroon with the official inauguration of its sites, marking an important step in strengthening sustainable medical refrigeration in the country. Launch ceremonies have already taken place at the PVMEDPORT sites of Ekekam (9 September 2025) and Nomayos (11 September 2025), with the Edea site inauguration…
The SophiA project was presented at the 10th edition of the West African Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF 2025), organised by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). The event took place on 18–19 September 2025 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Banjul, The Gambia, marking not only a…
The SophiA project has reached a major milestone with the official inauguration of the container installed at Mua Missionary Hospital in Malawi. This event marks a turning point for the facility, which now benefits from sustainable energy and technology solutions dedicated to support healthcare services. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Olivier Schmid…
Following the conclusion of the two-day SophiA final meeting, participants enjoyed an enriching excursion on Friday to BITZER Headquarters and the SCHAUFLER Academy. The visit provided an exceptional opportunity to deepen their practical knowledge of refrigeration technology and safety practices. The day began with a warm welcome at BITZER Headquarters, where Volker Stamer presented an…
The final consortium meeting of the SophiA Project took place in Karlsruhe, Germany, on 17–18 September 2025. Partners, researchers, and stakeholders gathered to reflect on the project’s achievements and to discuss future perspectives for advancing sustainable healthcare solutions across Africa. Day 1 – Vision, Technology, and Policy The meeting opened with Professor Michael Kauffeld (HKA), who…
During a SophiA Training the Trainers session in Karlsruhe, participants from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and Uganda shared the latest updates on national efforts to phase-out HCFC R22. The EU-funded “Sustainable Off-grid solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa” (SophiA) project concluded on a final event on September 15-19, 2025, in Karlsruhe, Germany. The…
The World Refrigeration Day (WRd) is celebrated every June 26 to raise awareness about the importance of refrigeration and air conditioning in modern society. The 2025 edition, themed “Pierce the Bubbles,” promotes responsible and sustainable technology choices in the cooling sector to ensure the well-being of present and future generations. In Cameroon, the event took…
On the occasion of World Refrigeration Day in Cameroon, and as part of its ongoing mission to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and foster collaboration, SophiA presented by Ina Colombo from the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) carried out a series of strategic visits in Cameroon. These engagements included hospital tours, institutional presentations, and meetings with key…
After participating in the project meeting (10-11 June) of the AGRI-COOL sister project in Vicenza, the IIR team travelled to Milan to take part in the 22nd European Conference, organised by Centro Studi Galileo on 12–13 June 2025 in Milan, Italy. This internationally renowned event brought together leading experts, researchers and industry professionals to explore…
