Solar Women of Totogalpa

Solar Women of Totogalpa (SWT) is a cooperative consisting of 19 women and 2 men that work in an organized manner in the promotion, production, and research of renewable energy for the sustainable development of their families and their community.

The Solar Women of Totogalpa cooperative first came to life as a project to reintegrate landmine victims organized by the Program of Alternative Energy Sources of the National Engineering University (PAES/NEU) in 1999. The objective of the project was to train landmine victims in the production and installation of photovoltaic panels to generate employment and use of alternative energy sources in communities that had no access to electricity. The women realized that solar energy could also be used to cook instead of using firewood that causes deforestation and respiratory diseases. The Solar Women group was formed around the use of solar cookers and dryers and the promotion of sustainable development in 2003. After various successful projects and winning the SEED Award, members of SWT succeeded in organizing themselves as a legal cooperative in 2010.

The main objective of the group is to work on the sustainable development of the community to generate dignified employment that promotes renewable energy and protects the environment. They hope to strengthen the self-esteem of the female members and create professional development opportunities bringing about leadership and community participation, as well as making the national and international communities aware of the benefits of renewable energy and sustainable life.

“Solar Women of Totogalpa is not only concerned by the pursuit of economic self-sufficiency. We also dream of augmenting our solar industry to create the necessary infrastructure to share our vision of sustainable development based on renewable energy with other communities. Our long-term objective is the creation of a Model Community that not only hosts the photovoltaic workshop, the solar cookers and dryers, but an entire campus with; a research centre that helps us continually improve our products, a restaurant where we can serve our solar food, a guest house for those wishing to visit our Model Community, a children’s playground, and a multifunctional space for fairs, promotional events, and sport related activities for the youths of the community.” – Members of SWT