Marijke Verpoorten

Free electric pressure cookers helped families in Goma, DRC to save money. Courtesy Sebastien Desbureaux

Mini‑grids can supply electricity, but what about demand? A private DRC project shows how it can work

In eastern DRC, a hydropower mini-grid shows how access to electricity happens through public-private partnerships and community programmes.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame speaks during a Rwandan Patriotic Front rally on 22 June 2024 ahead of July elections. Guillem Sartorio/AFP via Getty Images

Rwanda’s Tutsi minority has been in power for 30 years – but study finds ethnicity doesn’t matter to people if their needs are met

Rwanda’s majority Hutu have over time reported feeling more represented by a Tutsi-dominated government.
Le président de République démocratique du Congo, Félix Tshisekedi Photo: Paul Ellis PoolGetty Images

Les présidents sont‑ils de bons modèles pour l'adoption de la vaccination ? Une étude menée en RDC fournit la réponse

Vacciner les chefs de villages ou les membres respectés de la communauté pourrait être une stratégie efficace pour accroître l'acceptation des vaccins.
Democratic Republic of Congo president Felix Tshisekedi. Photo by Paul Ellis - Pool/Getty Images

Are presidents good role models for vaccination uptake? DRC study shows only if they’re trusted, and people get to know about it

Vaccinating public village leaders or respected older community members might be an effective approach to increasing vaccine uptake.

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