30 October 2009
People power
In the hills around Tinginaput there are vast pylons bringing hydro-electric power to India’s cities but, ironically, these do not bring power to the village itself. Although the Indian government has pledged to electrify all rural areas, the process is slow and expensive. Once, Tinginaput did have power but, 19 years ago, its wires were stolen.
Nowadays villagers have power they can maintain. Though people have no knowledge of the term ‘climate change’, they realise the ecosystem of their hills is badly damaged. Nearly every large tree – apart from the valuable mangoes – has been cut for firewood and commercial timber.
Success at Tinginaput means solar power could spread across the district. There are 127 other villages without electricity in the administrative “block” and conventional electricity is not likely within five years. Solar power is now becoming an important part of Orissa's search for greener energy generation, with several large-scale projects approved this year.
Beyond energy
The women of Tinginaput already have a contract to build 3,000 solar-powered lanterns for schools and institutions. A training centre has been set up, to teach other people from the hill tribes how to erect street lighting and house power systems. On the centre’s wall is a banner proudly announcing the women’s new cooperative - the Orissa Tribal Women Barefoot Solar Engineers Association.
We watch trainer Meenakshi Dewan demonstrate the complex wiring of a solar lantern to Joyanti, a 16-year-old girl who has never been to school. Meanwhile Pulka is showing a 20-year-old boy how to use a soldering iron. The cooperative will earn 50 rupees (60 pence) for each lamp, more than double most peoples’ daily subsistence. The 200 rupees for a child’s school books and uniform is beyond the budget of many families. Each lamp will earn the association 150 rupees to re-invest in the workshop.
Krishnachandra Wadeka leaves his soldering lesson to chat with us. Skills he’s learning here may lead to his own business. “I want to manufacture these," he says. "There’s a big demand for the solar electricity – everyone can see how it will save money and make life easier.”
What about having women in charge of things? “It’s a good thing,” he says, “the women used to be very scared; now they are more confident. I can see that it is good to learn from them.” Pulka’s eyes twinkle. “When I see what we’ve done here,” she says later, “it gives me hope for my granddaughter’s life.”
Read more about
solar engineer and trainer Meenakshi and about the experiences of
trainee engineer Rohim Miniaka
Standing together
“DFID has a range of projects in rural Orissa, working with the government to address livelihoods, poverty and rainfall shortage,” says Peter Reid, DFID’s chief technical adviser to another DFID-funded livelihood project. “What’s very satisfying about them is the increased strength of communities, especially among women. That may be the most important thing, because social cohesion enables people to withstand shocks. It gives them better access to finance, to information and skills – enabling them to adapt to the challenges of climate change.”
DFID’s five-year funding of OTELP is due to end next year, says Supriya Pattanayak, DFID’s representative in Orissa. “But when we step away it will all keep going, because it’s now a flagship programme for the state government. That’s how it should be. It shows our partnership has been effective, and that the changes we’ve helped bring about will be permanent.”
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