Monrovia – The College of Liberia (UL) has launched a groundbreaking US$680,000 solar-powered infrastructure undertaking that guarantees to remodel pupil life, handle long-standing utility challenges, and place the establishment as a mannequin for sustainable improvement in Liberia’s greater schooling sector.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Often called the Photo voltaic Oasis Scholar Utility Park, the state-of-the-art initiative will convert 1.5 acres of UL’s Fendall campus into a contemporary, absolutely solarized hub offering round the clock electrical energy, water, sanitation, web, and important pupil providers.
The undertaking features a 20-stall hygienic toilet advanced with disability-accessible amenities, a mini pupil heart, an out of doors filtered-water fountain, charging docks, Wi-Fi, examine areas and printing providers.
UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan described the undertaking as a defining step in revitalizing the College’s essential infrastructure and restoring its potential to ship world-class schooling.
“The Photo voltaic Oasis Scholar Utility Park goes to be a game-changer for UL,” she stated.
“We can’t fulfil our mission with out secure electrical energy, water, sanitation and web. Solarization is a dedication to creating that future potential whereas capitalizing on one in every of Liberia’s most plentiful pure sources: sunshine.”
Dr. Maparyan emphasised that the Photo voltaic Oasis is a pilot undertaking designed to reveal the feasibility of solarizing all 4 UL campuses, a long-term aim she says is crucial to modernizing Liberia’s flagship college.
Reducing-Edge Renewable Know-how Designed by a Liberian Agency
The Photo voltaic Oasis has been designed and is being constructed by Xity Engineering Options, a Liberian-owned engineering agency based mostly in Johnsonville.
The corporate is headed by Dr. Sannah Ziama, a former UL pupil and physicist who returned to Liberia following a distinguished profession in academia and the U.S. tech sector, together with service as a senior AI scientist at Amazon.
Dr Ziama stated the necessity for sturdy sanitation and secure utilities at UL spans generations.
“The restroom problem has existed right here for a really very long time,” he famous.
“It was an issue once I was a pupil, and certain earlier than that. This undertaking is designed to supply an enduring resolution.”
Based on Dr Ziama, the power’s photo voltaic microgrid is industrial grade, that includes high-output panels able to producing surplus electrical energy that might be fed into the Liberia Electrical energy Company (LEC) grid.
Its long-lasting battery system can energy the location for as much as two days throughout hostile climate.
“This can be a undertaking the place photo voltaic is the first-class citizen,” he stated.
“We constructed all the things round photo voltaic know-how. It ought to function a reference mannequin for universities, faculties, hospitals and public establishments throughout Liberia.”
Remodeling the Scholar Expertise
The Photo voltaic Oasis web site, cleared between the basketball court docket and the engineering constructing, will embody two toilet constructions, a utility constructing, a pupil heart and a water fountain sq.. Development is underway and anticipated to be accomplished inside eight months.
Scholar chief Vashe T. Weah, Miss Inter-College and advocate for ladies’s hygiene via her SheShelter Initiative, welcomed the undertaking as a significant funding in pupil welfare.
“Having 20 trendy bogs, together with disability-accessible ones, in a peaceable, park-like setting speaks volumes,” Weah stated.
“The mini pupil heart with charging stations, Wi-Fi and ingesting water will instantly enhance day by day pupil life.”
She added that the undertaking aligns together with her advocacy for higher restroom amenities and female hygiene assist throughout the College.
Funding and Future Prospects
Dr. Maparyan stated the Photo voltaic Oasis is being funded via UL’s current funds allocations for toilet renovations, anticipated climate-focused funding within the FY 2026 funds, and a small portion of UL’s annual endowment distribution.
Although restricted to 1 part of the Fendall campus, the President pressured that the undertaking is anticipated to function a proof of idea to draw large-scale financing for a complete solarization of all UL campuses.
“Grantors and buyers need to see a working mannequin earlier than committing to main tasks,” she stated.
“The Photo voltaic Oasis will reveal what photo voltaic can do for a college like ours, and place UL to entry international green-energy funding and improvement financing.”
With Liberia dealing with persistent grid instability and excessive vitality prices, the Photo voltaic Oasis Scholar Utility Park stands as a pioneering instance of how renewable vitality can reshape public establishments and enhance service supply.
If profitable, UL’s transfer towards solarization might mark the start of a brand new period in sustainable, student-centered infrastructure throughout Liberia’s schooling system.
