Clean, Green Solar Light

In many Indian rural villages family members huddle around chulahs (earthen stove) which is often the only source of light and warmth after sunset. Most households sparingly use kerosene oil lamps and many lack the last mile connectivity to access power. Absence of electricity affects their livelihoods, safety and children's education. However, with access to clean energy and solar lamps many households are able to support their livelihoods, children are able to study at night and women feel safe going out. This photo story created for Arc Finance highlights how access to solar lamps have improved people's wellbeing in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

More about the program: The USAID PACE-D TA Program is a part of the overall Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE) initiative, the flagship program under the US-India Energy Dialogue. Under its Renewable Energy component the program focused on support to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) known as the PACE-D TA Microfinance Support Program (MSP), to increasing the awareness of clean energy technologies. The program benefitted over 1.9 million household members in several states in India.

Arc Finance, a global non-profit enterprise, partnered with Bandhan in West Bengal to provide eco-friendly electricity at low-cost to several households.

For more details about the project visit: https://www.pace-d.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Pace-D-MSP-Policy-Paper.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/ArcFinance.org/photos