Solid’Africa proudly launched its state-of-the-art industrial kitchen at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK). The Mike Stenbock Gemura Kitchen at CHUK represents a pivotal chapter in Solid’Africa’s 14-year journey toward combating nutrition insecurity in Rwanda.
Since its inception, Solid’Africa has delivered over 8 million meals to more than 700,000 vulnerable patients and caregivers across six district hospitals, currently serving nearly 20,000 meals daily. This state-of-the-art facility, made possible through the collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Center for International Reproductive Health Training of the University of Michigan, CHUK, and Solid’Africa, is the first of three pilot hospital kitchens established under a Public-Private Partnership with the Government of Rwanda.
The kitchen is designed to produce up to 8,000 nutritious meals daily, catering to patients, caregivers, staff, and visitors. Its semi-automated processes and clean energy practices set a new standard for efficiency and sustainability.
More importantly, it serves as a cornerstone of a broader vision to scale these transformative solutions -providing medically tailored, affordable, and nutritious meals – nationwide, reaching all 47 public district hospitals and significantly addressing nutrition insecurity in Rwanda.
This expansion will continue in 2025 with the opening of two new kitchens at Remera Rukoma and Nyamata District Hospitals.
Why This Matters
Many patients in Rwanda’s public hospitals rely on external sources for meals, often receiving options that are unhealthy, unaffordable, or unsuitable for recovery.
Solid’ Africa’s “Farm to Fork” model addresses this gap by sourcing fresh, locally grown produce to prepare affordable, medically tailored meals that meet the highest standards of quality and safety of patients. To ensure sustainability, profits from meals sold to hospital staff and visitors will be reinvested into the project.
The kitchen will operate 24/7, offering uninterrupted meal services, and will be maintained to the highest operational standards, including comprehensive insurance coverage.
Impact beyond Nutrition
This initiative will improve health outcomes for vulnerable patients, strengthen food systems, and foster economic empowerment by partnering with over 4,500 smallholder farmers. Solid’ Africa aims to expand its farmer network to 50,000 over the next three to five years, reducing post-harvest losses and increasing local incomes. (End)