Project kick-off and constitution of Communities of Practice

During a one day meeting on July 9th 2018, the entire research consortium met for the first time to kick-off the project. The meeting served to

• detail the project activities, individual research agendas,
• refine milestones as part in the frame of the project impact pathway
• discuss deliverables of the project and dissemination strategies
• plan for the upcoming CoP meetings and field visits.

First CoP meetings in Dar es Salaam and Maputo

Earlier identified key stakeholders in the fields of urban planning and electricity provision and governance have been invited to interact with the project and direct the research, co-provide knowledge and help to disseminate results in meaningful ways. Regular meetings shall form Communities of Practice (CoP) in the long run, providing a crucial platform for lasting impact beyond the project lifetime.

Workshops

One-day workshops were held in Dar es Salaam and Maputo in July 2018, starting with a welcome and the introduction to the project activities and goals by the PI, Prof. Monstadt. Preliminary desk-based research was then presented by the post-doctoral researchers and the PhD researcher, leading to discussions that helped sharpening the project focus towards all key objectives.

Discussions on the research agenda at the first CoP meeting in Dar es Salaam.

Field visits

Each of the workshops was followed by field visits, guided by the utility companies TANESCO (Tanzania) and EdM (Mozambique). Different neighborhoods were attended that reflect challenges of urban electricity provision.

Researchers and a utility representative discuss grid expansion in Maputo.

A peri-urban settlement in Dar es Salaam in the midst of grid-expansion.