Fourth ‘solar mama’ returns home after training

KOTA KINABALU: After spending five months in India, Inggai Suging has finally returned to her hometown of Ranau, Sabah, eager to help maintain a solar energy project in her village.

The 55-year-old, who is a mother of 12 children and has 22 grandchildren, was the sole representative for Barefoot Solar Project 3.0 by the Sabah Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association (Swepa).

Before Inggai, three other “solar mamas”, who were also illiterate and hailed from villages in Kota Marudu district, were trained at Barefoot College in Tilonia, India, in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

In his speech during the homecoming ceremony for Inggai, Swepa president Lai Fui Nar said they purposely chose older women for the programme as they were less likely to leave their villages, and could thus help sustain the solar system.

“Barefoot College, which helps rural communities by teaching practical knowledge and skills, has been known to use unique teaching methods like alphabet and colours.

“Inggai graduated at the top of her class with 52 other participants from around the world, including Botswana, Mexico, Egypt, Indonesia and Cameroon, ” he said.

Lai added that Inggai would collect small funds from 100 households in her village of Kampung Paus, which consists of 750 people, to help maintain the solar system.

Inggai, who is a farmer, said she did not pursue further studies after failing her exams as the village, which is more than a two-hour drive from Ranau town, did not have electricity for her to study at night.

“I don’t want such a problem to affect the youths in our village. I want them to be able to pursue their studies, ” she added.

Inggai said the villagers criticised her plan to go for the training, telling her that she might face danger there.

“But my husband and children were very supportive.

“Now all I think about is bringing improvements to my village, ” she said, adding that for a start, she wanted to form a committee to look after the solar power project.

“I also picked up some business opportunity ideas in India and I plan to grow an organic fertiliser business for women entrepreneurs in my village.”

Barefoot Solar Project 3.0 was supported by CIMB Foundation, the Indian government, Barefoot College as well as Food for the Hungry International Sabah.

Asked about the biggest challenge she faced during her training, Inggai said it was the language

barrier, which meant she had to use hand gestures to communicate with the locals as well as her foreign classmates.

She also struggled with the cold weather and food.

“The place does not have rice. I couldn’t stand eating curry after a few days and I had to change my diet to milk and wheat, ” she added.

Inggai’s daughters Jaritah Maul, 32, and Elcey Mimi Maul, 19, who welcomed her during the homecoming celebration, said they kept in touch with their mother through phone calls once a month.

Source: TheStar