Lighting Lives

These incredible women harnessed solar energy to help their communities. Eana Maniebo travels to rural Tarlac to see the positive impact that they’ve made

Despite not knowing how to read, write, and even count, four Aeta grandmothers completed a six-month course in India to become certified solar engineers. Now fondly called Solar Lolas (lola is Tagalog for grandmother), they came from underdeveloped sitios (small communities) that had little or no access to electricity: Cita Diaz and Magda Salvador from Sitio Gayaman Anupul in Bamban, Tarlac; Sharon Flores and Evelyn Clemente from Sitio Gala in Subic, Zambales. But now, almost a total of 100 households in these two sitios are lit up by solar lanterns installed by these four amazing women in their 40s and 50s. “Naging proud kami sa aming mga sarili. Kahit hindi kami nakapagaral, makakatulong na kami sa aming kumunidad (We are proud of ourselves. Even though we didn’t go to school, we can help our communities),” says Clemente.

They studied solar technology at the Barefoot College in Tilonia, India. Founded by social entrepreneur Sanjit “Bunker” Roy in 1972, the institution educates illiterate and unskilled people on how to use technology to help develop their respective communities.

Finding these women and sending them to India was not easy, but a joint effort of nongovernment organisations as well as the private sector made it possible. Lead NGO is the Diwata Women in Resource Development Inc (Diwata). The project fit perfectly under its “Tanging Tanglaw” initiative which aims to create a positive impact on indigenous people (IP) by arming them with the skills needed to improve their communities and way of life through the use of solar energy. Sharing Diwata’s vision were the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA), and the Land Rover Club of the Philippines (LRCP). They all had the full support of the Indian government.