Video & story | Solar energy kindles hope in rural women of Maharashtra

“What’s in this interview for us?” retorted Sangeeta Wankhede when asked to narrate the unique journey of Tejaswi Society, a women’s cooperative, which manufactures solar panels in a small village of Wardha district in Maharashtra.

“A lot of people come here to interview us… Everyone has an agenda. We want work. Will this interview give us work?” said Wankhede, who is the director of this all-woman enterprise.

The Tejaswi Mahila Solar Energy Magasvargiya Cooperative Society, aka Tejaswi Society, was founded by the women residents of Kavtha Zopdi village in Deoli taluka of Wardha with government assistance.

Renewable energy and employment

About two years back, some 23 self-help groups, comprising women from the Scheduled Caste community, were in search of a business opportunity. Their initial work, making over 100 shosh khadda (makeshift sewage tanks) in a day, grabbed the state government’s attention. Next, they were trained to manufacture solar panels. The group managed to raise funds with the help of Department of Social Welfare and the technically equipped workshop was inaugurated in January 2021.

“Our efficiency in digging up makeshift sewage tanks reached the BDO (a government officer), who immediately visited our village. He was very impressed by our work and promised to help us climb the next step,” says Wankhede. Thus began the 200+ women’s journey towards self-empowerment with help of renewable energy.

The state government sanctioned and released Rs 1.83 crore for the workshop. The money was spent on land acquisition, workshop building, furniture, machinery and to pay the remuneration of IIT professors who trained them. “Women got the required training, but not the money. Not even a stipend,” says Wankhede.

Explaining the structure of the company one of the members said that all the women members of self-help groups are shareholders in the co-operative. A total of 214 women are part of the company and hold shares which cost nearly Rs 220 apiece. Besides, 45 of these 214 shareholders work in the company.

Disappointments on the way…

“It’s been three years and our struggle is still ongoing…” Archana Arale, who is a shareholder and a worker in the enterprise.

Varsha Nikalje, another member, said she has to listen to taunts from her family because the Tejasvi Society hasn’t been able to earn a good amount of money from this enterprise so far. “The workshop and the machinery look huge, but the earnings from it are just negligible as yet,” Varsha added.

Also read: Gender inequality pushes India behind in UN’s sustainable development goals

Though they have overcome their fears and struggle to learn something new, the struggle for employment is still ongoing. “Since we don’t have orders now, the work is halted,” adds Varsha.

“I call all these women (for the interviews) and they go home nervous, dissatisfied. People ask us for quotes and don’t talk to us about work,” Wankhede lamented. She said it would be more beneficial for us if people come to us with work orders.

The women manufactured face masks during the pandemic as a stop gap arrangement. Besides, they are trying all ways to keep the business alive, but the only thing that will help them sustain is orders for solar panels.

Hope is still alive!

“We had never worked outside before this and had zero technical knowledge about solar panels. But the professors from IIT gave us he required training and now we can produce entire solar panel all by ourselves,” said Alka Kale. The women have manufactured and installed over 50 solar lights in seven villages so far.

When asked if the women are making any real profits, Kale said, “Nothing yet. This is just the beginning. We have some orders to fulfil which will be completed after Diwali.”

Archana Arale said she is waiting for the day when the group and its members earn a good amount of money from the business. “It is only when we get a decent monthly income that we will feel that yes, we did learn something!” said Arale.

Varsha Nikalje, who is also a member of the co-operative from the beginning, shared her struggles as well. “We were given training but it took us some time to perfect our skills. For instance, we were not able to maintain the gap (between solar cells) initially, but now we are capable of doing it properly. Not just that, we are able to stamp and string the panels the way they should be done,” she added.

(This story was funded by Earth Journalism Network)