Solar Jooce, BATNF train rural women in Oyo

SOLAR JOOCE- a social enterprise and British American Tobacco Foundation (BATNF)- an independent charitable organisation, have signed a collaboration agreement to train rural women in Oyo State on assembling, repairing basic solar lanterns and phone charging units.The signing ceremony was presided over by Executive Director of BATNF, Gbenga Ibikunle and Chief Executive Officer of Solar Jooce, David Agbakoba.The objective of the pilot programme, according to Ibikunle, is to train an initial 20 rural ladies to become solar technicians and help them establish a solar micro-business.The training will also empower the ladies to light up their communities and spread the use of solar as an alternative to dangerous and expensive fossil-fuelled lighting, such as kerosene lamps.The workshop, which lasted four weeks, covered four Local Government Areas in Oyo State- Itesiwaju, Kajola, Oyo West, and Iseyin and will move on to other states across the country.Also, Agbakoba said: 'Of the world's 1.6 billion people living without electricity, 80 per cent live inSub-Saharan Africa. The Solar Jooce women's empowerment initiative is a small step in the daunting task of providing a clean, alternative source of electricity, alleviating poverty, and providing opportunities for rural families in Nigeria'.The rural women also received marketing and financial management training, in Yoruba, from Executive Director, Finance, Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi, titled: 'Growing your New Solar Micro-Business'.The training workshop was supported by the Hertz Corporation and C & I Leasing (transport and logistics), Sesema PR, and the Bishop of Ajayi Crowther Diocese, Bishop O. O. Oduntan.
Click here to read full news..