‘Solar Bibis’: Rural areas to benefit from solar energy project
Aims to empower women, help them improve their financial condition
Centre of Information Technology Islamabad Director-General Ammar Jafri said according to the World Bank, about 44 per cent households in Pakistan were not connected to the grid and more than 80 per cent of those were in rural areas. PHOTO: PCRET.GOV.PK
ISLAMABAD:
A project to help women improve their financial condition has been introduced to spread benefits of solar energy across rural areas of twin cities.
The mechanism of the programme – “Solar Bibi” -- is that women would be taught how to operate and maintain solar charging stations in their homes to earn a decent living.
The project -- a joint effort of Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) and Ministry of Science and Technology -- is set to expand to other areas as well where women were forced to stop working after sunset due to absence of electricity.
Head of e-Solar project, Fateema Aneela on Tuesday said its name was chosen to especially target women in rural areas.
In coordination with PCRET, around 1,000 women will be trained as “solar bibis” across Pakistan, she said.
Training sessions had already started with an initial batch of 50 “solar bibis”.
Centre of Information Technology Islamabad Director-General Ammar Jafri said according to the World Bank, about 44 per cent households in Pakistan were not connected to the grid and more than 80 per cent of those were in rural areas.
“We especially want to empower women in these areas through the project,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2016.
A project to help women improve their financial condition has been introduced to spread benefits of solar energy across rural areas of twin cities.
The mechanism of the programme – “Solar Bibi” -- is that women would be taught how to operate and maintain solar charging stations in their homes to earn a decent living.
The project -- a joint effort of Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) and Ministry of Science and Technology -- is set to expand to other areas as well where women were forced to stop working after sunset due to absence of electricity.
Head of e-Solar project, Fateema Aneela on Tuesday said its name was chosen to especially target women in rural areas.
In coordination with PCRET, around 1,000 women will be trained as “solar bibis” across Pakistan, she said.
Training sessions had already started with an initial batch of 50 “solar bibis”.
Centre of Information Technology Islamabad Director-General Ammar Jafri said according to the World Bank, about 44 per cent households in Pakistan were not connected to the grid and more than 80 per cent of those were in rural areas.
“We especially want to empower women in these areas through the project,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2016.