00:00Salamatu Abukhari is 65 years young and known here as a solar grandmother.
00:07Today, she is repairing a loose connection in a power model.
00:11Apart from her, there are no trained solar technicians in the village.
00:15If a solar facility breaks down in this community, they call me.
00:21Some closely watch so they can fix their own system when I'm not around.
00:27I want to share my knowledge so that everyone understands a little about solar power.
00:33Her customer had to go to Mars without use of his solar powered lamp.
00:38Now, it works just fine again.
00:43She is doing a great job.
00:45Since she came along 10 years ago, everyone has gotten rid of their carousel lamps.
00:52And the hassle of buying flashlights and batteries is now a thing of the past.
01:01Dupari is a small community north in Ghana.
01:05Energy poverty is still widespread in the region, with around a quarter of households not connected to the grid.
01:12Pylons did arrive in Dupari 15 years ago, but were not followed by actual power.
01:18Then, fate intervened in the shape of the solar grandmothers, Salamatu Abukhari and Nimatu Abudu.
01:25Their journey to becoming solar technicians is an extraordinary one.
01:30About ten years ago, the two women were selected by their villages to embark on a special mission.
01:36After flying all the way to India and making their way to Barefoot College in Rajasthan State,
01:42they attended a UN program that combines female empowerment with the fight against energy poverty.
01:49Together with three other women from their region, they learnt how to install solar panels and carry out repairs.
01:56The biggest challenge was the language barrier.
02:02But once they started showing us, step by step, how to connect panels and wire up batteries, learning became easy.
02:11When they gave us books, we couldn't follow, we just had to guess.
02:19There was no fear anymore because we relied on each other.
02:23If you didn't understand something, there would always be someone to help.
02:30We came from different countries to learn.
02:35They taught us the work.
02:37We benefited a lot and got to really appreciate each other.
02:41Now we're back home and are busy doing our new job.
02:45And thanks to their help, that power is lighting up homes.
02:49The solar grandmothers are passing on their expertise.
02:52A UN program has enabled Salamatu Abukhari to set up her own workshop.
02:57She's already trained ten people so that they can now run their own small-scale solar systems at home.
03:04I trained them for a reason.
03:09When I had the skill alone, it didn't benefit many people.
03:14But by training the younger ones, they can pass it on and help even more.
03:20Some of those I've trained are now studying photovoltaic technology in school.
03:27I've trained them for a long time.
03:30I've trained them for a long time.
03:32Kasanga Sonoba is proud of what her fellow villager has achieved.
03:36Salamatu Abukhari's success has also bolstered respect for women in the community.
03:42Hadjia Salamatu went and learnt.
03:49And when she came back, the whole community praised her and gave her our support.
03:55What she learnt is good for us.
03:58I see that as inclusion.
04:00When another opportunity comes, we'll all get involved.
04:03As for the village's male residents, opinion is divided on the matter.
04:09When you call a woman to come and do a certain job like this, tomorrow she'll tell you that I'm cooking.
04:16I want her to go to search water.
04:19I want her to do this, I want her to do that.
04:22I want her to do everything, there should be gender balance.
04:24There is a saying that what men can do, women can equally do it better.
04:30She has been moving to the house to houses, installing them.
04:33When they have problems, she comes and then she solves the problem.
04:38In the Paris itself, the nights are now brighter.
04:41The new lights have brought a greater sense of security.
04:45A new energy into village life.
04:48This report taught me one clear thing.
04:51It is not about education before you can contribute to development.
04:57These women have not gone to school.
04:59They basically can understand what alphabets and numeracies are.
05:04But they are able to contribute significantly in terms of bridging energy poverty in their communities.
05:11Over 150 solar panels have been installed around the region by five solar grandmothers.
05:17The UN-funded electrification program has ended.
05:21Bringing more reliable power to northern Ghana will require more than the expertise of the women.
05:27What these solar engineers are doing, they are just complementing the efforts of government.
05:35What I will add is that the government should create an enabling environment.
05:42So that we can have opportunities of public-private partnerships.
05:48So that more of the solar panels and the batteries can be installed.
05:54Barring sickness or death, by the grace of God, I pledge to do this work till the end of my life.
06:06There has already been significant change in the Paris.
06:09Empowerment for local women.
06:11And more power for the village.
06:13Thanks to the solar grandmothers, lighting the way to a brighter future.
06:18Please, please pass the Earth.
06:19Thanks a lot.
06:20Thanks a lot.
06:21Thanks a lot.
06:22Thanks a lot.
06:23I actually want to take care of the world.
06:25We need need needs needs.
06:26You do need to know.
06:27You can improve, right?
06:28Thanks a lot.
06:30Ah, who's talent for us!
06:32You do need to know.
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