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Samad (second from left) presenting a certificate to Inggai. Also in the picture are Jeanette (right) and Siti.
KOTA KINABALU (Feb 11): About 1,000 people from Kampung Paus, and the nearby villages of Kigiwit, Tinanom, Penulangon, Walau and Kodop in Ranau are benefitting for the SWEPA Barefoot Solar project 3.0.
The project saw the implementation of 130 solar home lighting systems in Kampung Paus, Kigiwit, Tinanom, Penulangon, Walau and Kodop.
Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahim Jahim congratulated SWEPA (Sabah Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association) for their years of tireless efforts to implement the solar home lighting system since 2013 until now.
To date, SWEPA has already implemented three projects together with numerous partners and sponsors to ensure their success.
“Your achievement has brought lights to six villages in Sabah, 330 rural homes and perhaps, close to 3,000 rural folks,” said Jahim in his speech to mark the closing ceremony of the Barefoot Solar Project 3.0 which was read by Assistant Rural Development Minister Samad Jambri at Le Meridien here on Saturday.
Jahid also said that the implementation of the Barefoot Solar Project 3.0 faced many challenges which began prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, and could not be completed due to the lockdowns.
He also commended SWEPA’s solar sub-committees, and said that they have “boldly braved uncharted roads and villages, hills and valleys, mudslides and monsoons to complete the mission to illuminate as many villages as possible and to teach more illiterate grandmothers to become Sabah’s elite’s “solar mamas” such as the late Tarihing Masinum, Gining, Rusni and Inggai Sigung. In spite of all this, your SWEPA Barefoot Solar and FHIM (Food for the Hungry International, Sabah, Malaysia) organising committees persevered and finally was able to have the solar home lighting systems installed at 130 homes in Kampung Paus in 2022.”
SWEPA’s president (2021-2023), Siti Bahaya Damsal elaborated further that SWEPA’s partners for the Barefoot Solar Project 3.0 were CIMB Islamic Bank, Barefoot College and the government of India.
She also said that the challenges faced by the project were also due to logistics restrictions during the pandemic whereby bookings for solar equipment from India could not be sent to Kota Kinabalu.
“However, the organising committee from SWEPA and FHIM persevered and eventually, the equipment arrived at Kampung Paus. Together with the Kampung Paul Solar committee and Solar Mama, Inggai Suging a total of 130 houses were installed with the solar electrification system by the year 2022,” she said.
She also said that SWEPA started the Solar Barefoot 1.0 project in 2013 and was completed in 2015; and project 2.0 began in 2015 and was completed in 2016 at Kampung Sungai Magandai, Kampung Binontungan and Kampung Sosongon Suyap.
Siti urged all villagers who benefitted from the SWEPA Barefoot Solar Project 3.0, especially the Kampung Paus Solar committee, to work professionally with Solar Mama, Inggai Suging, and all the kampung chiefs.
“Through cooperation and good word ethics, I am certain they will beenfit from the house solar system that can upgrade their living standards,” she said.
Siti meanwhile stated that the Solar 3.0 project would be SWEPA’s last project and it will not continue with the solar project in the future.
She added that SWEPA will focus on its original vision and mission which is to help its members in terms of women entrepreneurial and professional empowerment in helping them raise the state’s economy.
Barefoot Solar project organising chairperson, Datin Jeanette Tambakau said that the Solar Mamas underwent training in India.
“The first solar Mama, Tarahing Masinim, made Malaysia and Sabah proud by graduating as the top student in her class and she went on to receive the BSK award from the Sabah Head of State in 2016.
This was followed by Inggai Suging, who was awarded Anugerah Wanita Cemerlang (Women Excellence Award) in March 2020 by the Sabah State Government at the Sabah Women’s Day celebration 2020,” she said.
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