Generally my work is focused on issues related to electricity access from multiple perspectives. First, I look at grid connected systems and the criteria used by households when deciding to acquire appliances. When a home is newly connected to electricity, lighting is the first device acquired. But what happens thereafter?

I also look at the issue of electricity reliability with a focus on healthcare facilities. Connection to the grid is not sufficient if electricity access is sporadic. This has been crucial especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the impact on patients when diesel is used as a back-up to run medical equipment during a blackout?

Finally, I look at electrotechnical quality standards from the perspective of the end-user. We assume that consumers will purchase products based on the certification and quality label associated with it. However, we have found that consumers will not necessarily check for the quality label but will rather buy appliances based on recommendations from friends or what they can find at the market. This area is far less coordinated than many would like to think and requires a sociological approach.

Anne Wacera Wambugu

Project Manager
Strathmore University