Mission ‘Clean water, green energy and new perspectives’: Bernd Vogl in Kenya and Tanzania
Invited by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, he travelled to East Africa as part of a delegation to discuss solutions for sustainable energy and clean water. The trip took him to places that show how urgently innovation and cooperation are needed in a climate-changing world.
Here's his personal travellogue:
‘From Munich, we first travelled to Nairobi, Kenya's bustling capital. After a few official receptions and a welcome for the delegation by the German ambassador to Kenya, Mr Sebastian Groth, we headed to the Kibera slum - one of the largest slums in Africa. It was very moving for me to see the conditions under which the people and especially the children live there - and how cheerful everyone is despite this.
Reality in the slum is harsh: heat, water shortages and an enormous population density characterise people's lives. And despite these difficult circumstances, I met people there full of commitment and ideas.
In Kibera, we visited the Human Needs Project. This is a pioneering initiative that addresses the challenges of water scarcity and sustainability in this township. The project not only provides people with vital drinking water, but also sets standards in hydroponic agriculture. I was particularly impressed by the spinach ‘fields’ in multi-storey rain pipes, which produce very productive harvests without soil and with minimal water consumption. It was easy to see the immense potential of these sustainable cultivation methods for global urban agriculture...
However, the Human Needs Project in Kibera also showed me how important access to clean water is - and not just for health. But only when basic needs are met is there a chance for education and future prospects. I was definitely very impressed by this project and the people involved, and it also gave me food for thought. As an entrepreneur and as a father, I am convinced that clean water and clean energy should not be a privilege, but a basic right.
...to Tanzania. The programme here was similar to that in Kenya. Here I also learnt a lot about the energy supply in both countries. Naturally, the supply of heat through heating networks is not a major issue in either country, and electricity generation is not a major concern either: in contrast to Kenya, which obtains most of its electricity from deep geothermal energy, Tanzania is supplied with natural gas from its own natural gas reserves, wind and hydropower as well as solar energy and bioenergy. However, in rural areas in particular, a lot of cooking is still done using available biomass such as wood and coal, as many people in Tanzania are not connected to the electricity grid.

My trip was defined by encounters that made it clear how valuable a sustainable partnership is - a partnership that not only pursues economic, but also social and ecological goals. I would like to thank the organisers once again, who not only ensured that everything ran smoothly, but also created the conditions for these interesting encounters.
For me personally, this trip was also a reminder of why I invest my energy, a large part of my time and my commitment in sustainable companies such as Vision Green Solutions and goodmen energy: because here I can make my contribution to ensuring that our world will continue to be a place worth living in the future with innovative, environmentally friendly solutions. For people, for children, here and in Africa.’
Unless otherwise stated, the photo rights belong to Bernd Vogl.