20.01.12
Following the launching of DRC’s solar electrification project for Somali refugees in Eastern Ethiopia Refugee Camps, 35 Barefoot -Solar engineers graduated after a one month training organized by DRC. In January 2012, DRC staff Zinaw Kebede met a young refugee woman who has graduated as a Barefoot-Solar engineer.
Saida Jaylani is a 19 years old girl living in Aw-barre refugee camp. Joining the caravan of Somalis fleeing war and instability, she arrived in the camp in 2009 with her mother. Filled with sadness and nostalgia, she recalls her time in Mogadishu- Somalia:
“I suffered a lot all the way arriving here. I lost my father during the bloody war in Mogadishu where I was born and brought up.”
The time Saida arrived at Aw-barre refugee camp she was frustrated, disappointed and had lost hope. She wanted to work hard in pursuit of her childhood dream and find some meaning to her life.
“I had no schooling back home, and no one was besides me to encourage me join the school. Instead, I was forced to marry a refugee man who lives in this camp. A year later I became a mother of a baby boy. This made me fully engaged in daily domestic chores.”
DRC launched solar electrification project in November 2011, technical training was organized for Saida and 34 other refugees in the camp who aspire to explore alternative livelihood opportunities.
Barefoot concept of solar energy training is adopted from Indian Barefoot College and has been implemented in various parts of Ethiopia. In eastern refugee camps it was implemented by trainers trained by Indian Barefoot College.
The training envisaged to train Barefoot-Solar engineers who would handle installation and maintenance of solar panels, after these are distributed to refugees in the camp. The Barefoot solar training believes and has demonstrated that educational qualifications are not needed by people with rural or poor backgrounds to acquire skills that can be of service to their community.
‘Learning by doing ‘ is the philosophy adopted for training by the Barefoot College. In the first few weeks of the training the emphasis is on making trainees comfortable with each other and enabling them to familiarize themselves with different terms, tools, components and equipment used in solar technology.
Practical demonstrations or ‘hands-on’ experience and regular repetition help the trainees remember terms, tools, equipment and components that most have heard and seen for the first time. With each passing day their level of hesitancy decreases and their confidence and ‘technical dexterity’ increases.
Saida shares “I am planning to establish a photo shop or a hair dressing saloon that uses solar panels. If I get additional support, maintenance and installation of solar panels will help me generate additional income as I am the only bread winner to my family… I can see a glimmer of hope,” she smiles looking down at her baby sitting on the mat.
Camps in Jijiga, Eastern Ethiopia Refugees camps have no electricity! Refugees mostly use kerosene lamp for household lighting. Only few can afford to pay 300 Birr (approx 18 USD) a month to get connected with private diesel generators. Agnes Mukantwali- Head of Sub-Office UNHCR in Jijiga says:
“The Solar training was incredible. I have only attended the end of training, but I can tell you how the trainees were excited. And what they were able to do was amazing!”
The idea was to see how they can start using the acquired skills immediately – for example in a beauty salon, internet cafe, repair shop or a video club.
DRC’s solar electrification project seems to make the dark nights in Aw-barre brighter. So will the hope of Saida and her peers.
Edited by: Anubha Sood, Regional Livelihoods Advisor, Horn of Africa & Yemen
