Collaborators
- Plenty Belize
- Barefoot College
- Caribbean Community Climate Change Center
- Ya’axche Conservation Trust
- Maya Mountain Research Farm
- Ministry of Rural Development
- Ministry of Energy
- Santa Elena Village
Funders
- GEF SGP
- Barefoot College
- Government of India
- Government of Belize
- Plenty International
Project Goal
To promote the demonstration, development and transfer of low carbon technologies at the community level, by empowering Santa Elena to reduce GHG emissions by capacity-building and installation of renewable and sustainable energy systems.
Successes and Accomplishments
- Two women from Santa Elena trained as Barefoot Solar Engineer, ie a solar technician who builds/solders charge controllers and solar lanterns.
- The engineers are women
- The engineers are Mayan from a remote village in Toledo
- The engineers are not formally educated at secondary or tertiary level
- Santa Teresa has a Solar Board that reports to Ministry of Rural Development that seeks to sustain the systems into the future.
Good Practices
- Female Solar Engineer in Village
- Solar Power Board puts control in the village
- Steering Committee Meetings open to the village
- Training both in India and in Belize
- Rural Development assists solar Board