SOLAR ELECTRIC LIGHT FUND”S BENIN SOLAR GARDEN DESERVES A VOTE

Solar Electric Light Fund Selected as a Finalist in the Women | Tools | Technology Challenge; Ashoka Changemakers Identifies Solar Market Garden as Empowering Innovation
June 10, 2010 (Ascribe Newswire)

"The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) has been announced as a finalist in the Women | Tools | Technology Challenge sponsored by Ashoka's Changemakers and ExxonMobil in partnership with The International Center for the Research on Women (ICRW).

"The Challenge received 268 entries, each of which use transformative technologies to catalyze the economic advancement of women. An expert panel of judges selected SELF's Solar Market Garden project in Benin, West Africa, as one of ten finalists based on three criteria: innovation, social impact and sustainability…"

From WoodsInstitute1 via YouTube

"Between June 2 and June 16, anyone can vote for their favorite finalists…[at] Women | Tools | Technology Challenge…[V]iew SELF's entry and the others…[and] vote. The winners will be announced June 23 and will be invited to participate in collaboration workshops later this year…"

click thru to vote

[Robert Freling, executive director, SELF:] "Last June I had a chance to see the remarkable transformation that has taken place in the villages of Dunkassa and Bessassi since the launch two years ago. I immediately noticed a difference in the women, who have filled out since our last encounter. Not only are the women better fed, but so are their families and the rest of the villagers who now have year-round access to a steady supply of highly nutritious fruits and vegetables. To have a recognized institution such as Ashoka Changemakers validate the importance of SELF's work is a tremendous honor."

"SELF is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit working to reduce energy poverty and combat climate change by bringing solar power and wireless Internet access to remote rural villages in the developing world. SELF has pioneered innovative applications of solar power for drip irrigation in Benin, telemedicine in the Amazon rainforest, vaccine refrigeration in Rwanda, online distance learning in South Africa, and microenterprise development in Nigeria. These successful pilot projects culminated in SELF's whole-village approach, or Solar Integrated Development model. Since 1990, SELF has completed projects in 20 countries, making it a leader among non-governmental organizations in realizing practical and cost-effective alternative energy solutions for rural villagers."