Across the mountains and rural areas of Guatemala, many people struggle with the lack of access to basic services. They include about 370,000 households, among them many from Indigenous communities, who remain without electricity, with negative impacts on their livelihoods, health and wellbeing.

Compounding their difficulties, these communities suffer the highest rates of illiteracy and extreme poverty in the country. Guatemala also has the biggest gender gap in employment in Latin America, underscoring the potential benefits of providing economic opportunities for women in these off-grid areas

Barefoot College International is a non-profit network that trains women in the world's least developed countries as solar engineers, entrepreneurs and educators. The women bring clean energy, learning, and economic and social empowerment to their communities. By replacing harmful and unsustainable energy sources such as kerosene, candles, and firewood, the initiative also delivers health and development benefits while promoting climate resilience. The Puma Energy Foundation first partnered with Barefoot College International in 2022 to train 24 women from Quiché, a department in the heartland of the Indigenous K’iche people, to install and maintain 600 home solar systems. Participants in the residential course at Barefoot College’s Latin America training centre in Quiché also receive training including financial, digital and leadership skills, as well as education on health, human rights and sustainable living. After a successful first phase, the Puma Energy Foundation has extended a new grant to Barefoot College Latin America to support its work with women from Quiché and three other departments in Guatemala including:

• A ten-week training programme for 18 Indigenous women encompassing solar engineering and life skills.

• The installation of solar systems by the engineers in about 400 homes. The programme covers the up-front cost of the equipment and includes a community savings plan for its long-term maintenance.

• A pilot programme to explore the feasibility of adding solar-powered cookstoves to Barefoot College’s product range in Latin America. Overall, the new partnership aims to directly improve the quality of life of about 2,000 people, building resilience and injecting economic dynamism into these remote communities.

Visit Barefoot College Latin America’s websit