Impact Spotlight
Solar energy for a and community center, serving over 230 people
Powering computer access in the community for the first time
Enabling refrigeration for medicine and breast milk, with the goal of decreasing infant mortality rates
About
The Wounnan ethnic group lives along the coast of the San Juan River, Colombia in remote villages only accessible by the river and separated by an average of 1 hour by motorboat from each other. Their isolation has made access to energy, and with it, lighting, refrigeration, and internet, nearly impossible.
Since 1998, OpEPA has worked with communities throughout Colombia to increase environmental education opportunities and both build and promote regenerative cultural practices. For years, they’ve worked with the Wounnan to build systems that strengthen communities’ right to self-determination.
“The project allows the community to have clean energy, energy to light up the night, energy to use the computer for learning, energy to recharge cell phones and communicate with relatives or other Wounnan communities.”
HF Partnership
In partnership with the Honnold Foundation, OpEPA is bringing solar energy to a community of 230 Wounnan people for the first time, starting with the community’s recently built school and community centers. The installation has been a deeply collaborative process, and the community ultimately decided where and how the initial installations should be used.
Access to energy will do more than turn on the lights. The installation will power computers, internet, and refrigeration in the community, all for the first time.
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