Solar Power to Arab Women
Meet Daad and all the amazing women of the "Cooperative for agricultural production and manufacturing" in South Lebanon. They have joined forces to work on grassroots food production sold all over Lebanon and provide much needed financial support to their families. Unfortunately, as most Lebanese, the cooperative suffers from chronic electricity problems which renders most of their electricity powered machines obsolete. This results in a smaller and less diverse production as well as a lower income for the cooperative. To add insult to injury, the lack of electricity is compensated by physically stressful manual activities which requires them to stand daily for long hours.
The Solution Comes from the Sun!
Daad and the women of the cooperative live in one of the sunniest region on earth where solar energy has tremendous potential. Indeed, Lebanon has more than 300 sunny days per year and solar energy can fill all the electricity demand of the country. The sun is a free and renewable source of energy. A solar energy system has the capacity to fill the electricity supply gap of the cooperative and decrease its dependence on inefficient, polluting and expensive electricity sources such as private generators. That would mean more production, more income and no more back pain! The powerful impact that solar energy could have to transform the lives of these extraordinary women, their villages and communities whose vibrant existence is a testament of strength and ability. It is a land of heroes, each fighting in their own unique and distinct ways to create a better tomorrow for their communities and the planet.
The Solarization Project
The solarization of the women cooperative center will start with an energy audit that will identify its energy consumption. Then, a set of energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption such as lighting retrofit and piping insulation will be implemented. Finally, a solar energy system will be installed on the roof of the Cooperative.
A month ago Greenpeace started its preparation for this project with a goal is to train a small cohort of individuals who can then mentor others, educate key decision makers and embark on their own entrepreneurial projects. 12 young people, Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian from the area, trained by Greenpeace, will participate in the installation of the solar energy system. The training itself is a variation on a model Greenpeace used in places as diverse as Rhodes, Greece, Raleigh, North Carolina and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. We have seen the excitement on people’s faces as they realize that this technology is not beyond their reach. And for these Young people from the south of Lebanon, this is the best way for them to put in practice their learnings and give back to the community that has supported them all these years!
They Are Counting on You!
Each contribution to this project is an additional step towards a true energy independency for this cooperative, the hard working women and their community. And they are counting on You!
The successful completion of this project will be how the adoption of solar and renewable resources can contribute to allowing these brave women to take control of their own lives. Most importantly, You as donors will empower these communities to move their work forward, giving them the technical tools that they need to create a better, cleaner future.
This project has been designed with the local communities under the umbrella of Greenpeace'swork in the Arab world. Through trainings and demonstrations, education and creative communications, Greenpeace campaigners, researchers and volunteers will work alongside community members and promote the amazing resources of this rich and evocative region. Greenpeace's ambition is to catalyze the solarization of the Arab World through training, examples of community driven projects, and improving policy work to enable many other communities to follow.
This can only be done with your precious support!
This fragile Earth deserves a voice. It needs Action. It needs You!
http://goo.gl/zcqH15

Overall Objectives: 
The project will raise money "50,000 $" to provide solar energy for a women cooperative in south Lebanon.
Activities: 
N/A
Start Date
Thu, 25/08/2016 - 3:00am
Project Status
N/A
Project Timeframe
N/A
Intervention Sector(s):
Humanitarian & Development Financing
Project Location:
Lebanon
LB
Collaboration with Other Organisations
N/A
randomness