• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
The Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute (NYLI), through its Project REconnect initiative, lit up another 37 households in an isolated community at Purok Tumpok, Barangay Pandanon, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental.
The young advocates provided solar PV (Photovoltaic) home systems to their chosen beneficiaries, lighting up homes and providing clean, stable, and community-managed solar energy.
Each family received a 120W/456Wh solar kit, which provides safe power capable for lighting, device charging, and basic household needs for upland farming families who have long lived with energy insecurity.
Coleen Awit, Program Manager of NYLI Center for Climate Solutions said in an interview that they are prioritizing the provision of accessible renewable energy to communities who were often reached by government aid.
“The beneficiaries of the project are either communities that we have closely worked with in the past, all situated in areas that receive little to no help from local governments, either unelectrified or communities suffering from issues that can be addressed by solar solutions,” she stressed.
To support long-term operation, residents participated in a Solar PV Operation and Maintenance Session facilitated by technical consultant Jeffrey Lazaro. The training equips the community to independently manage and maintain the systems in the years to come.
Barangay officials joined NYLI and partners during the turnover ceremony, reaffirming their commitment and support to sustaining the solar PV systems and strengthening resilience in the area.
A THOUSAND BENEFICIARIES
Since the project was launched, at least about 1,000 people have benefited from it. Project REConnect is currently being implemented in Damutan Elementary School, directly benefiting all the students, teachers, staff of the school, and the broader Damutan community which is approximately 500 people.
It also powered the cold storage facility in Barangay Nayon in San Enrique town, which benefits around 250 community members comprising women, youth, fisherfolks, and the recent Solar PV installation in Barangay Pandanon which lit up 37 houses or 150 individuals.
Project REconnect is a flagship program of NYLI, embodying a comprehensive approach aimed at empowerment, livelihood enhancement, and educational advancement, with a targeted focus on geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.*
