Amref International University hosted the Kenya launch of Stella Juva, a solar-powered ambulance developed by 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology, ahead of a real-world test journey through Nakuru, Narok and Kajiado counties.
Amref International University has hosted the Kenya launch of Stella Juva, a solar-powered ambulance developed by 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology, marking the beginning of its real-world testing journey in Kenya.
Stella Juva has been developed by Solar Team Eindhoven to explore how solar-powered mobility can help address healthcare access challenges in remote communities. The project brings together engineering, sustainability and healthcare, with the vehicle designed to generate energy both for mobility and for medical equipment.
The launch at AMIU’s Northlands Campus brought together H.E. Jaco Beerends, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Principal Secretary, State Department of Energy; Dr Meshack Ndirangu, Country Director, Amref Health Africa in Kenya; a representative of the CEO of the Kenya Medical Training College; Dr Francis Kiio, Director of Health, Narok County; the Chair of the Department of Physics, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the Technical University of Kenya; and students from AMIU and Solar Team Eindhoven.
AMIU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joachim Osur hosted the delegation and students as Stella Juva was formally introduced in Kenya. Prof. Duncan Irungu, Principal of the Institute of Sustainability and Innovations at AMIU and master of ceremonies, highlighted the social impact being created by the 23 students from Eindhoven.
Dr Meshack Ndirangu, Country Director, Amref Health Africa in Kenya, connected the innovation to Amref’s longer health journey. He noted that, 70 years after Amref began its work, there remains an opportunity to embrace new innovations that can strengthen primary healthcare. He also highlighted the importance of reaching women and communities where access to care remains difficult, including through community health promoters who support people at home and help communities recognise danger signs.
Dr Francis Kiio, Director of Health, Narok County, highlighted the challenge faced by communities in remote parts of the county. Inaccessible routes and the distance to health facilities can make reaching care difficult, creating a need for interventions that can help bridge gaps in access to health services.
H.E. Jaco Beerends, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya, welcomed the 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology to Kenya, describing the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate innovation while strengthening the connections between the Netherlands and Kenya. He highlighted the partnership around innovation, climate resilience and strengthening primary healthcare, noting the potential for Stella Juva to support Amref Health Africa, county governments and local communities. He also referenced the Netherlands’ support for the five-year Future for Binti project, which reflects the wider collaboration between the two countries in advancing health and development.
The Solar Team Eindhoven students took participants through the development of Stella Juva, drawing on the team’s previous solar-powered vehicles. The team has worked on solar mobility through earlier projects, including its solar-powered family car and Stella Terra, its off-road solar vehicle. Stella Juva applies this experience to healthcare, with the aim of taking healthcare capability closer to communities.
Unlike a conventional ambulance whose primary function is to transport patients to a health facility, Stella Juva is designed as a mobile healthcare platform. The team presented features intended to support healthcare delivery, including space for medical equipment, a cooling box, foldable seats and the ability to provide electricity for equipment used during mobile healthcare activities.
During the presentation, the team described Stella Juva as having a range of up to 750 kilometres, comprising 550 kilometres on battery power and a further 200 kilometres enabled by solar power. Its solar panels cover approximately six square metres and are designed to generate energy for both the vehicle and onboard equipment.
The Principal Secretary, State Department of Energy, welcomed Stella Juva as an example of how clean energy, sustainable mobility and healthcare innovation can be brought together. The PS highlighted the importance of increasing the country’s use of solar energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and developing solutions that can ultimately be manufactured locally. The PS congratulated Amref Health Africa in Kenya and the Netherlands for championing innovation that connects clean energy and sustainable transportation while strengthening emergency services in hard-to-reach areas.
The launch is followed by a test journey through Nakuru, Narok and Kajiado counties. The first simulation will take place in Naivasha, Nakuru County, where the team will test Stella Juva’s performance on terrain and in off-road conditions.
The second stage will take place in Narok County at Ntulele and Mosiro health centres. The simulations will focus on the vehicle’s potential to operate as a mobile clinic, power medical equipment and use its energy systems in a healthcare setting.
The final simulation will take place in Kajiado County at the foot of Kilimanjaro, bringing the Kenya test journey to its culmination. The testing is intended to assess how the innovation performs in real-world African environments and how it could contribute to healthcare delivery in hard-to-reach settings.
The initiative also extends beyond the vehicle itself. The 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology, together with friends and family in the Netherlands, raised over €5,000 as an additional contribution to Amref’s work across Africa. During the cheque handover, AMIU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joachim Osur assured the Eindhoven team that the contribution would be used to enhance primary healthcare programmes.
Stella Juva’s Kenya launch therefore marks the beginning of a practical test of how solar-powered mobility can intersect with healthcare delivery. The coming field simulations will provide an opportunity to examine the vehicle’s performance across different terrains and healthcare contexts, while exploring the potential of clean-energy innovation to help bring healthcare closer to communities.
