The Solar for the Masses campaign is a 30-day drive through Nigeria to deliver solar lamps/phone chargers to rural communities in all 36 states of the country + the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). Its essence is to create practical awareness in rural areas for the potential of solar power in transforming their lives. The lamps are being sponsored by corporate Nigeria and kind individuals.
Recipients of the solar appliances - such as rural primary health care centers, micro-enterprises etc - are being chosen by local authorities in each state.
During the road trip, they will also want to identify hard-working, illiterate [or barely literate] rural women, and select a few of them for training as Solar Engineers [a model successfully deployed in India]. This will create jobs for an unlikely segment (women, poor people) and lift the rural population out of a needless cycle of poverty. Imagine rural women taking up "Green" jobs as solar engineers, solar troubleshooters, and solar panel installers. Imagine the fantastic impact the project will have in reviving Nigeria's economy at the grassroots.
Solar for the Masses kicks off form Abuja on May 26th, 2010.
Find out more about it at their website here...http://www.solarjooce.com/web/index.php