Islamabad: Portable solar power kits are helping displaced families and disaster survivors access electricity for lighting, phone charging and other daily needs. However, funding shortages and difficulties in delivering equipment continue to limit the reach of these efforts, leaving many vulnerable communities without reliable power.
From refugee camps in Bangladesh to communities affected by flooding in Nepal and families displaced by the war in Ukraine, small solar systems are providing practical support where conventional electricity supplies are unavailable, damaged or difficult to maintain.
For families living in temporary shelters, access to electricity can make a significant difference to everyday life. It allows children to study after dark, adults to charge their phones and households to use small electrical devices that would otherwise be difficult to operate.
In Bangladesh, Mohammed Saber, a 35 year old Rohingya refugee living in Teknaf, has experienced these benefits first hand. His family received a portable solar kit as humanitarian assistance around 2020. The system provides electricity for lighting, charging phones and running fans during hot weather.
The solar equipment has become an important part of the family's daily routine. For children living in crowded refugee settlements, lighting provides more opportunities to study after sunset. Phone charging also helps families maintain communication with relatives and access information.
The experience highlights the importance of electricity in humanitarian settings, where people may spend years living in shelters without access to reliable power.
The Rohingya refugee crisis remains a major humanitarian concern in Bangladesh. In May 2026, the United Nations and its partners appealed for 710.5 million dollars to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in the country. The response plan aimed to reach up to 1.56 million people.
Funding shortages have placed additional pressure on humanitarian organisations working to provide essential services. In June 2026, the United Nations refugee agency warned that financial constraints threatened services for approximately 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
These figures highlight the pressure on humanitarian assistance. The funding appeal covered both refugees and host communities, while the 1.2 million figure referred to Rohingya refugees whose access to essential services was at risk.
The financial strain extends beyond Bangladesh. On 12 October 2026, the United Nations refugee agency reported that it had secured 3 billion dollars of its 8.5 billion dollar global funding requirement for 2026. The shortfall has affected its ability to maintain services and support displaced people around the world. These figures relate to the agency's global operations rather than solar energy projects specifically.
Portable solar systems offer one way to address electricity shortages, particularly in places where repairing power networks may take time or connecting to the existing electricity grid is not practical.
Sarah Rosenberg-Jansen, a research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute, has highlighted the role of portable solar technology in emergency settings. Such systems range from simple solar lanterns to small household kits capable of providing electricity for basic needs.
The technology is also being used beyond refugee shelters. Humanitarian organisations have introduced solar power to support essential services, including health facilities and water systems.
Near Karachi in Pakistan, Doctors Without Borders operates a tuberculosis clinic identified in reporting on humanitarian solar power. In Renk County, South Sudan, solar powered water filtration systems installed by the International Organization for Migration have helped support access to water for people affected by displacement.
These examples demonstrate how solar energy can contribute to the delivery of essential services when conventional electricity supplies are unreliable or unavailable.
In Nepal, solar kits have also been included in disaster response efforts following devastating flooding. The charity SolarBuddy is among the organisations reported to have participated in distributing solar equipment to affected communities. However, the number of kits distributed and the precise locations reached require further confirmation.
In Ukraine, humanitarian organisations are also working to provide solar equipment to families affected by the war. Yuriy Boyechko, chief executive of Hope For Ukraine, said the organisation expected to distribute more than 3,200 solar kits by the end of 2026. He also reported a waiting list of approximately 20,000 families.
These figures reflect the demand reported by the organisation. The waiting list should not be interpreted as a verified estimate of the total number of Ukrainian households without electricity.
Despite their benefits, portable solar kits cannot meet every energy need. Small systems designed for lighting and phone charging have limited capacity and cannot automatically replace larger power supplies needed for medical equipment, refrigeration or other services that require substantial amounts of electricity.
Their effectiveness also depends on sunlight, battery storage, maintenance and the availability of replacement parts. Humanitarian agencies must consider these requirements when deciding which systems are suitable for particular communities.
Transporting equipment to areas affected by disasters can create additional difficulties, especially when roads and supply networks have been damaged. Securing enough funding to purchase, distribute and maintain the systems remains another major obstacle.
Solar power is therefore one part of a wider humanitarian response rather than a complete solution to electricity shortages. Its value lies in providing practical access to energy where conventional services cannot meet immediate needs.
As conflicts, displacement and extreme weather continue to affect communities around the world, reliable electricity remains an important part of humanitarian assistance. For families living in temporary shelters, even a small solar kit can help restore some of the everyday activities that many people take for granted.
The challenge for aid organisations is to extend these benefits to more people while securing the funding, technical support and long term maintenance needed to keep the systems reliable.