Hi Vijay
Thanks for the telling me about three women from Africa getting trained in making and installing solar lamps at a training course at the Barefoot College in Rajasthan I am trying to think what you already know about dadamac's current interests in solar power. I'll just mention a few things in case we have not discussed them before.
Fantsuam Foundatin uses solar power at the main compound. It is not a very big solar panel, but it is very useful for Zittnet and means that the generator does not need to be turned on every time that the mains power supply fails (which usually seems to be more often than not).
Small scale solar power is also of interest and Fantsuam has looked at the possibility of helping someone to set up some kind of local small business selling solar lamps. We have been discussing this on and off with a company called Barefoot Power. However, Fantsuam Foundation (FF) has never had the money to invest in importing the supplies. As there are so many other things that must be done more urgently at Fantsuam, and so few people to do them, this is something that seldom stays near the top of the agenda for long.
My assumption is that if FF does not have the capital to launch a business selling solar lanps then it will not have the capital for a business installing solar panels either - but I could easily be wrong. In my years of connecting with rural Afica I have learned to hold my assumptions very lightly.
I wonder what the three African trainees at the Barefoot College will be doing about using their skills when they get home. Obviously the skills need to be applied within a business setting and it takes capital to set up a business. I wonder if they were sent on the course by some existing business organisation that needs more trained workers, or if they are the first workers within a new business. I wonder if the organisation that paid for their training will also be the source of money to pay for their buisness set up costs.
I wonder what possibilties there are for us to do practical follow-up to this story. Maybe there are some related scholoarships or business start up funds or something that would make it possible for Fantsum Foundation to get involved.
I agree with you it seems it would be good if some women from FF could also go to Barefoot College for training in solar engineerin, and could subsequently apply their skills back home. We can easily check with John.
I cannot take on anything new at present. Might you have time to try to find out more?
Pam