Sabah solar project wins award
SUBANG JAYA: The Sabah Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals Association (Swepa) bagged the coveted National Scroll of Honour Award 2015 for the Barefoot Solar Project.
Under the project, illiterate Dusun grandma Tarihing Masanim, 40, of Kg Sonsogon Magandai, Kota Marudu became Malaysia’s first woman solar power engineer after completing six months’ training in solar engineering at the renowned Barefoot College in Tilonia in the State of Rajasthan, India.
Working at the Rural Electronic Workshop (REW) built by the Sabah Credit Corporation, where she fabricates, installs, repairs and maintains solar lighting units, Tarihing recently completed her mission to solar electrify 100 poor households at the remote village, a six-hour drive on logging track from the Kota Marudu township. The award was presented by Federal Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government in conjunction with World Habitat Day 2015, Monday. It carries a plaque, a certificate plus RM5,000 cash.
On behalf of the President, Datin Albina Ogor Abdullah, the Immediate Past President cum Project Adviser, Datin Jeanette Tambakau received the award from the Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan at One City, here.
“What a huge surprise as we didn’t make any formal submission. It is not a competition, according to the organisers. We received the great news from Putrajaya on Sunday.
I wish to dedicate this award to all our partners in service,” Jeanette said.
The project partners are Barefoot College, Government of India, Federal Government, Sabah State Government, UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), Sabah Credit Corporation, Sabah Fire and Rescue Services Department (Bomba Sabah), Asian Forestry Company Sabah, Pacos Trust, Raleigh Borneo of Raleigh International, Louis Pang Photography, volunteer Jennifer Anjek and independent blogger Casey Leong. Daily Express is the media partner.
Earlier, Jeanette attended the National Urban Forum 2015 organised by EAROPH (Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements) together with the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government. An international organisation accredited to UN-Habitat and UNESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), it has a secretariat based in Kuala Lumpur.
Project Organising Chairperson Datuk Adeline Leong, when contacted, said: “We are ecstatically happy that Swepa Barefoot Solar Project is getting national and international recognition for the empowerment of rural women in Sabah. As we won the first prize, this project will be Malaysia’s entry for the World Award next year.”
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has been invited to officially launch the lighting up of the 100 homes at Kg Sonsogon Magandai sometime this month.
Source: Daily Express
