A solar-powered shift for refugees in Lebanon
Solar installation Darb Tabneeh.
“By installing a solar power system, we can ensure that the Ability Center stays open and can help more children.”
That was the hope Bouchra shared with us when we first began working on this project. But turning that hope into reality had not been a simple task for them.
As a smaller local organization, Al Manhaj faced the same barriers many community groups do: grants that don't quite materialize, loans are unattainable due to impossible terms and clean energy solutions priced far out of reach. At the same time, they were stuck in a vicious cycle - paying for expensive diesel generators that strained their already tight budgets.
That’s why Aid Pioneers designs, finances, procures and ships tailor-made solar systems to hospitals and schools in need of a stable energy infrastructure. We do this not only with our own solar engineering and logistics experts on the team, but also through a strong network of corporate partners.
In this case, our partner C&D Clean Energy helped set the schools up for long-term success by providing premium-grade solar equipment built to perform reliably in demanding conditions. They offered it at specially reduced rates, freeing up funds to power even more classrooms. And by extending the warranty to three times the standard, they’ve ensured these systems will keep delivering stable, clean energy well into the future.
By combining forces with Al Manhaj and BILD hilft e.V. „Ein Herz für Kinder“ - who have generously funded the entire project - we have recently finalized the installation of solar systems at the Ability Center, as well as three other schools: Dar International School, Darb Al Tabbaneh School, and Lycée Modern.
But why does this matter beyond turning on the lights?
From power cuts to full classrooms
Lebanon’s economic crisis has gutted its energy infrastructure. The national grid only provides a few hours of electricity per day, causing many to generate their own electricity using expensive and polluting diesel generators. So, for most, the only other option left is diesel generators. An expensive, polluting and wildly unpredictable option. In 2021 alone, Lebanon saw diesel prices surge by 1,030%, pushing communities already facing multiple socio-economic crises into further hardship. Today, more than 80% of the Lebanese population lives below the poverty line, amplifying the urgency for sustainable, affordable energy solutions.
For schools like these, it meant that when fuel costs soared, students paid the price through canceled classes, rising tuition fees and limited access for those who needed education most.
Our goal was to use the power of solar to change that equation.
We installed fully off-grid systems ranging from 15 to 28 kWp, each with battery backups. These systems eliminate dependence on the volatile diesel market, unlocking around $26,400 in annual savings per school - money that can now be redirected toward education.
Here’s what that means in practice:
More than half of these students are Syrian refugees. The rest are predominantly from low-income Lebanese and Palestinian families.
By freeing the schools from unreliable grid access and unaffordable diesel costs, we made room - literally and financially - for more than 900 new learners.
Al dar International school can now enroll an additional 170 students.
Lycée Modern School during class.
This has meant that the schools can improve in more than one way:
Afternoon and Summer learning programs become possible
Classrooms can stay cool, brighter and better equipped
Budgets stretch further into teacher training, parent workshops and new learning materials
Student fees can stay low or even be waived for those in need
Diesel pollution around the school decreases
At the Ability Center, which supports children with physical and cognitive disabilities, solar helped lower tuition and fund full scholarships. As a result, 200 more children - many from families facing immense barriers - can now access the only facility of its kind within hundreds of kilometers.
This is what sustainable infrastructure looks like: a foundation for everything else to grow.
Our team visiting Darb Tabneeh School in September of 2023.
The same roof is now home to a 128,31m2 solar installation.
Rooted in local ideas
None of this would have been possible without our local partner, Al Manhaj. Based in Tripoli, they run the schools, health clinics and disability center, some located in the city’s most economically strained areas.
Their deep relationships, local fluency and cultural insight made it possible to approach this project not just technically, but sustainably.
In fragile or post-crisis settings, it’s not enough to simply deliver a system - it has to live, adapt, and be owned by those who know the ground best. That’s what we believe defines a successful project and partnership.
Our local partner Al Manhaj, showing our team around at the Ability Center in Abou Samra.
Stretched along the fence and rooftops, the Ability Center is now powered by clean energy.
Aid Pioneers’ team members, Julian Adler and Henri Roth, assessing the roof of Dar International School.
Final solar installation at Dar International School, including the system we built in 2023, for Al-Abrar School, which is located in the same building.
How it came together
After we visited all four schools in late 2023, we immediately started planning and funding the solar projects. Once „Ein Herz für Kinder“generously confirmed their financial support, we could implement the four complex projects after the war between Israel and Lebanon ended. The process unfolded in six stages - from load analysis and technical planning to procurement, customs coordination, logistics and installation.
Which all led to the installment of:
Now that all four systems are up and running, we continuously monitor the proper functioning of the systems and the impact they produce.
Live data collection of Lycée Modern School.
Let’s build more opportunities
Our solar projects are always a proof of concept, and it’s proving itself every day - with full classrooms, stable electricity and space for kids who deserve stability and opportunities. And with Al Manhaj we are continuing the success, by installing another system at a school in Qalamoun.
Are you ready to scale solutions that are local, durable and built to grow?
Let’s talk! Reach out to us at partner@aidpioneers.com
Students at Al dar International school
