Superwomen: Women who control the Sun without Inhibitions

In a country where some people still walk for miles in search of potable water, have to light kerosene lamps after sunset, find it difficult to make their ends meet, the internet or even electricity is a luxury for them. It is shocking to know that 1.1 billion people in the world still do not receive electricity. In remote areas, many individuals have never seen a bulb. Needless to say, they are deprived of the basic amenities of life like proper food, clothing, and shelter. They are not very educated, which is why they are unaware of their deprived state of living.

In many rural areas, women still cook on chulhas and tandoors, risking their lives. The new India also carries the old picture of women spending their whole lives in the kitchen throughout her journey. Electrification can be a source of freedom and empowerment for these women. The solar power industry can be used as a medium to employ and light up many of these women's lives. Utilizing solar energy to produce electricity can be a life-changing experience for them. It can let them breathe freely and live carefreely.

Solar Mamas Initiative
The Solar Mamas program has funded this initiative which is similar to the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. The women who are a part of the program are natives of different regions of SouthEast Asia. They are mostly illiterate or semi-literate mothers alongside old women whom their families have abandoned. Many of these women are anaemic, and they also suffer from mental illnesses like clinical depression. They find it difficult to think positively. Their self-esteem is broken down. The organization appoints psychologists for their counselling sessions, and after they develop a certain level of trust and friendship among themselves, they are trained for a better living.

The women are made to learn certain skills and earn a certificate for future endeavours too. They are taught about the benefits of having renewable energy resources. They also learn how to build LED lamps, solar panels, charge controllers, make different types of lanterns, and learn about their various usages. The devices they create are then sold to the solar system companies keeping a certain profit-margin that makes the women earn a living. In this way, they can make their ends meet, empower themselves, and build self-help groups to benefit their villages.

Benefits of the Training
Some women who run the self-help groups take the leap of faith and directly deal with the solar firms. They further empower other women and lead them towards the path of hope. The higher-level training provided by Barefoot College is a six-month-long course and requires no previous qualification. After completing the program, the women come back to their native place as trained solar engineers, now proficient in installing lights at their homes and training others.

The women are now ready to face and overcome new challenges with their newly-born enthusiasm, smiles on their faces, and a brave heart. They become successful entrepreneurs by selling solar products like solar panels, solar lights, solar fans, pumps, etc., directly to the customers or through online shopping sites. This is a significant step that supports the "Vocal-for-Local" initiative endorsed to support the local shop owners.

Children are the future of a country; their mothers are their armours. Educated mothers can educate an entire generation, thereby developing the whole nation in the long run. The children of these newly empowered women now have electricity and education in their lives, which will be instrumental in giving them a bright future. The women who have made a mark on their own have shared their stories on popular platforms like TEDx talks, India. Sustainable development helps individuals empower themselves and helps in community development which should be encouraged and promoted globally. Gender equality can be achieved only if both genders are given equal opportunities, education, and support to grow and develop their lives and careers.