PM Narendra Modi celebrates with Solar Mamas

Dar-es-Salaam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday interacted here with a group of 30 ‘Solar Mamas', women from Tanzania and a few other African countries trained in harnessing solar energy under the Indian government programmes.

PM Narendra Modi with Solar Mamas in Tanzania. Pic/PTI

"Celebrating the Solar Mamas! PM interacts with women trained in vocational skills under India's development support," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

When Modi asked one of the women how long she has been working on solar projects, she said she has been doing so for nine years.

With the support of the Indian government, the Barefoot College at Tilonia in Ajmer, Rajasthan, has been promoting and training rural women solar engineers, called ‘Solar Mamas', from various developing countries, including from African nations.

The college is promoting and training these women in fabrication, installation, use, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household solar lighting system under programmes supported by the Indian government.

Barefoot women's vocational training colleges have been set up in Zanzibar island of Tanzania and some other countries in Africa for imparting solar electrification skills and distributing solar kits.

These colleges also support various entrepreneurial skills such as bee-keeping and tailoring.