Tanzania/New Delhi:  A group of about 30 “solar mamas” from Tanzania and a few other African countries demonstrated their skills in fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household lighting systems to the Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, yesterday. They also presented their honey-extraction and stitching practices and sung a song “we shall overcome.  The Prime Minister is on a five-day visit to Africa.

Barefoot College, based in Tilonia Rajasthan), has been promoting and training rural women solar engineers (solar mamas) from Africa in fabrication, installation, use, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household solar lighting under Government of India supported programmes. They have set up a Barefoot women vocational training college in Zanzibar Islands of Tanzania and other countries in Africa for imparting solar electrification skills (training) and distributing solar kits to trainees.

These colleges also support various entrepreneurial skills such as bee-keeping, tailoring, etc. The solar mamas have fabricated and installed solar kits, and now maintain these solar electrification systems in their communities. Barefoot College is operating in 1300 villages across 80 countries.