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Casa Grata : youth-led and gender-responsive clean energy solution for rural communities in Colombia

Representative Name: Jenifer Colpas

Year: 2021

Country:

Colombia

Topics:

Capacity-BuildingCommunity EducationEnergy Transition

Region:

Latin America and the Caribbean

Description of the project:

Casa Grata is a decentralised and affordable youth-led solution that brings solar energy to dispersed and hard-to-reach rural households. The system includes a solar panel, light bulbs, a battery and a solar charge controller. This solution allows electronic devices to be charged and light bulbs to be plugged in, reducing school dropout rates, particularly among girls, and improving families’ livelihoods. Through the ‘Guardians of Light’ programme, rural women are trained as technicians to install, monitor and repair the systems, ensuring long-term sustainability in a difficult context of internal conflict.

Financially supported by: Allianz Foundation, Turkish Cooperation for Development

Climate impact

Reduce CO2 emissions by replacing candles or diesel lamps with solar photovoltaic systems
Decentralised solar energy solution based on a community approach

Gender impact

36 rural women are members of the Guardians of the Light committee

Through a Train-of-Trainer approach, rural women are trained in financial savings and technical skills

Empowering women through meaningful participation in decision making

Scalability / replicability

Payment system based on interest-free credit and adjusted to the user’s income ensures wide dissemination
Communities empowered to follow their own development pathway
Internal conflict victims and displaced communities return to the land and find some peace

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