“Women have boundless capacity to learn”
© solar mamas
It is in Kinyasini that social transformation starts. For it is here that Barefoot College International Zanzibar trains women to become solar engineers – “Solar Mamas”. After they have completed their training here in the north of Zanzibar they return to their home communities. There, they install, maintain and repair household solar electrification systems for the entire village. Launched in 2015, the programme not only brings clean energy to a country only half of which yet has access to the electric power grid according to the World Bank. It also and above all helps women who have received little or no formal education to generate a regular income and gain a better standing in society.
We spoke to Brenda Geofrey. She heads the programme in Zanzibar initiated by Barefoot College International (BCI). BCI works in 98 countries of the Global South to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged communities. Up to now, 65 women have been trained to be Solar Mamas in Zanzibar. They have brought clean electricity to 1858 homes.
Brenda, what do the women learn at your Barefoot College?
© solar mamas
For one thing, they learn to install, maintain and repair solar systems. What is more, they also learn how to pass on to other women the knowledge they have gained. The women who were trained between 2011 and 2014 at Barefoot College International in India are now trainers themselves. Moreover, a part of the training – we call it Enriche – Life Skills – concentrates on social and other capabilities. For instance, the women learn about gender roles, about their rights, and about sustainable nutrition and health matters. Women have boundless capacity to learn. Apart from solar electrification we also train women in beekeeping and honey harvest, sewing, soap making and regenerative agriculture.
Which conditions must the women meet in order to enrol?
At the time of selection, the trainees should not have a small child or be pregnant, as the training requires a high level of concentration. They should be firmly rooted in their community. The goal is, after all, that they return there after the training to install and maintain solar systems. Another important thing is that they have leadership qualities and that the entire community supports them and approves of the training. Many of the women are divorced or widowed. Some are married, but it is sometimes difficult to get the husband’s agreement. In these situations, we involve the village chief to support discussions with the husband, stressing the positive impact of the program on the wider community.
What does the programme do for the women and the communities?
For the women it is life-changing. Previously, they worked day in, day out to prepare food or get wood – all without any kind of income. Now, they have for the first time in their life a job that produces a financial reward for their work. Through the programme they gain more self-confidence in their own capabilities, have a regular income and have more time. The community, in turn, profits from clean electrification. This is a matter of health, too: in rural areas kerosene is still often used for lighting.
Brenda Geofrey is Country Director at Barefoot College International Zanzibar.
Further information
Website of Barefoot College International Zanzibar
Wikipedia article: Solar Mamas
WION channel: Zanzibar’s Solar Mamas: Women Lighting Up Villages With Solar Power
