Gas Company Fuels Change in Rural Africa

By Nicole Wallace

VillageReach, a nonprofit organization in Seattle, has taken a novel approach to improving the health of people in remote areas of Northern Mozambique: It runs a propane-distribution company.

In 2002 the charity started VidaGas with the country's Ministry of Health as its first and, at the time, only customer. With a reliable source of energy, clinics were better able to keep vaccinations cold, sterilize medical equipment, and offer nighttime birthing services.

After five