Mission RISE: Rural India Solar Electrification is one such initiative that proves this fact. It’s one of its kinds of initiative in the nation that is entirely funded and managed by the people, for the people and of the people.
It all started in October 2014 when the Founder of a community group called SOMEONE SOMEWHERE went on a ‘No Money Walking Pilgrimage’ with two of his friends. On route, a tribal village in north Gujarat hosted them. Moved by love, they decided to do something radical in return.
‘Khatisitra’ is a little tribal village inside Balaram-Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat) and had been in dark since time immemorial. They had never seen electricity and were using kerosene to light lamps. The monthly income of the household isn’t even INR 1,000 and using kerosene was expensive and very hazardous to the forest too. On top of this, villages have many other problems. For e.g. child marriage, deforestation, stealing wood, land issues and the scariest of them – the danger of their existence being wiped off.
This team took up the cause to light up the village- decided not to wait for the leaders and to do it alone. With the support of the village mentor, they decided to do a SOLAR ELECTRIFICATION of the entire village with the support of common public. The cost was determined to be around INR 350,000 and they crowd funded the whole campaign.
The villagers raised half the cost, the rest was raised with support of micro-donations from ordinary people – friends, drivers, security guards, rag pickers, police officers, eunuch, and once even a beggar donated a small amount. A local vendor assembled the solar lighting kits for 100 families on no-profit-no-loss basis. Thus, the entire tribal village was lit up early this year and for the first time they saw electricity in their homes.
The village mentor has started a home school. The school runs on Gandhian philosophy; based on value education. The children are bright but often face problems of getting short of stationeries and books but they’re quite enthusiastic about learning new things and learning about the world outside their tribal village.
Rural or Eco-Tourism is a fast growing industry and can bring change. After the solar electrification, the team decided to create an opportunity for Eco-Tourism (called LokMitra Space) in this pristine tribal area and make this as new spot for tourism in Gujarat. This generates a little income for the villagers and helps uplift them – economically and socially.
If determined, one can achieve anything and this team has proved this. Around 8,000 villages in India need electricity and such a community group can make a difference and then the “Good Days” or “Renaissance of Peace” will be just around the corner.
