Make a real impact in rural areas
In the villages electrified by Mandalay Yoma, there are now more than 10,000 people having access to reliable and green electricity.
As a result, villagers have the resources to use rice cookers, TVs for homes, and businesses have started with use of refrigerators, water pumps & grocery stores using electricity.
Needless to say impacts for the villagers are significant from a social, economic, health and environmental point of view.
Social impact
Gender equality: As a result of time savings from cooking, women are now able to dedicate time for new activities that generate income such as retail outlets for instance.
Improved education and skills: As schools and libraries have been connected to the mini-grid, children can now study in the evening.
Inclusive growth and community empowerment: Street lighting, religious buildings and schools lighting has underpinned community empowerment. During key festivals, electricity is used for local folk music and dances. Street lighting has also contributed to reducing insecurity at night and has thus enabled community to gather easily, even after sunset.
"On behalf of our village I would like to thank the DRD and Mandalay Yoma, for bringing light into our lives", Head monk from Dee Doke
In Dee Doke village (Mandalay region), Mandalay Yoma designed and built an off-grid solar system (55kWp + 160kWh). Now, the impact becomes real and we are glad to receive testimonies from the villages.
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Economic impact in rural areas
Reduced fuel spending and increased energy affordability: As a result of electric lighting, household expenditure on fuels for lighting reduced by 25-50%. Fuel savings for cooking were achieved as a result of electric appliance use such as rice cookers.
Income generation and poverty alleviation: Existing businesses have been able to use electricity-powered machines that have increased their productivity. Also, thanks to lighting at night, small local businesses have increased their working hours which has improved their revenues.
Job creation: Access to electricity has triggered new economic activities in the rural areas, including oil extraction from peanut and sesame seeds, and food refrigeration. Local jobs have been created for electricians, sellers of electronic goods and retail outlets.
These economic benefits and productive use have also created a virtuous cycle in the community, where in turn, there is higher electricity demand. This leads to increased sustainability in the villages themselves.
Health impact
Prevention of diseases and health hazards: The air and noise pollution from diesel generators has been eliminated.
Provision of health services: Health care centres are now electrified and have thus the ability to install freezers to store vaccines and anti-venom medication.
Improvement of food security and access to clean water: The households connected have been able to use cold storage appliances (refrigerator, freezer) that has increased food security. Also, as more than 80% of the villagers are farmers, the villages are mainly dependent on agriculture for their income. Water pumps for irrigation have enabled farmers to grow multiple crops by reducing their dependence on seasonal rainfall and have thus contributed to increase food security. Also, thanks to water pump for domestic use, access to clean water has been significantly improved.
Environmental impact
Reduced deforestation: Because farmers now benefit from: (i) an improved access to information;
(ii) an irrigation system;
(iii) electrify-powered machines, they have increased their productivity.
Higher yields per unit of farming land has reduced the need for bringing more forest land under cultivation.
Reduced emission and impact on climate change: The system is pollution free, since there are no diesel generators and associated emissions.
Productive use
Needless to say villagers' daily routine really has changed thanks to this reliable access to electricity.
This is the story of U Phoe Zaw from Dee Doke that can now pump water with a 100% solar power system but also for many other purpose.
In the villages, tens of new businesses and activities are enabled by this energy access: agri-business, carpenter tools, rice hull mill, stone crushing machine, printing, welding machine and so much more.
Make a difference for your company
We are enabling the switch to clean energy for industries, factories & businesses.
Thanks to our solutions, our customers benefit from increased reliability of power supply, independence from the grid and save on grid electricity and fuel while having a positive impact on the environment.
Benefits of solar systems with Mandalay Yoma
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