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Shakuntala Devi, Village Damodara |
| Working as a laborer in other’s lands in the day and toiling hard to weave carpets under the kerosene lit lamp in the evening, life had very few colours to offer for Shakuntala Devi of Damodara village. Without a regular income of her husband and with two school going children, Shakuntala Devi had to work throughout the month without a holiday. But now things are changing slowly. |
| A new member in her family, the solar lantern is doing the magic. What used to take weeks for completing a carpet, now takes not more than four days, after all the emission free, harmless light of the solar lantern does not cause any irritation in eyes. Her life in a single room that was home to both the traditional kitchen (woodstove) and the carpet loom is getting brighter with each day. The lantern has not just increased her efficiency in weaving carpets and lessened strain in her eyes, but it has also come as a boon for her children who now study at night. Not to mention, the family has weaved financial benefits out of more carpets as well. Thanks to the solar lantern, Shakuntala Devi smiles more often these days and has more reasons to feel happy about. |
Smt. Shakuntala Devi weaving a carpet using the solar |
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Priya Singh, Village Damodara |
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Irritating fumes from her kerosene lantern would bring tears in her eyes. Studying at evening would seem like more like a punishment for Priya Singh of Damodra village. But that was all three years back before her father; Anil Singh purchased a solar lantern.
Ever since, Priya has had a nice time with books. The lantern has not just helped her clear her intermediate examination with second division, but also helps Priya in managing her household work every evening, that too with great ease. The feeling of burning eyes and discomforting fumes are now a fossiled feeling and Priya is headed for a brighter life. |
Priya Singh studying with the help of a solar lantern |
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Geeta Devi’s centralized PV charging station |
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Village: Gopalpur
Village: Ramnagar
Village: Jaunpur
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In the light of a solar lantern, Gita Devi not just smelt hope, but also saw her future. Realizing its advantages and perceiving its potential as a commercial venture she purchased a Centralized photovoltaic system through a bank loan. The system could charge 6 solar lanterns simultaneously. And not surprisingly, she immediately found a ready customer base as many of the villagers had solar lanterns but did not purchase solar panels for charging to save money.
Gita Devi now offers charging of solar lanterns to all at a reasonable price of Rs. 2/- per charge per lantern. The business has paid her rather well. She has already paid back a sum of Rs. 8810 out of a total loan amount of Rs. 11,800 that she borrowed from the bank. It’s been a win-win situation for both Gita Devi who has found a source of income for herself and the villagers who are getting their solar lanterns charged on a daily basis at a nominal price. She has in fact already established the Central PV system as a commercial venture.
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Phoolpati Devi using her charged lantern for embroidery work |
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Gulabi Devi using her charged lantern for embroidery work |
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