QNET’s philanthropic initiative, RYTHM Foundation, has partnered with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) to bring solar energy to remote tribal communities in the state of Meghalaya and upgrade the healthcare infrastructure in the region.
The project is expected to bring electricity to 470 villagers and solar power to a primary healthcare center serving 23,000 residents. The RYTHM Foundation has initially pledged to support the project for one year.
“At QNET, we live by the core philosophy of RYTHM, which stands for Raise Yourself To Help Mankind,” said Malou Caluza, Chief Executive Officer of QNET “In its simplest form, RYTHM is about empowering people so that they not only strive to become their best self but also make a difference in their communities. The RYTHM Foundation strives to fund and support projects that have a long-term transformational impact in underserved communities. Through the Empowering North-East India project, we hope to drive change in the remote villages of Meghalaya, by empowering them with access to electricity which has a direct impact on education, health, comfort, productivity and more, leading to improved living standards.”
This is not the first solar energy expedition for the company, as it enabled digital education access to schools in Skagyam and Sato villages as well as the remote Himalayan region of Ladakh by bringing solar energy to the village of Rongdo.
This new Empowering North-East India project will create a community-owned model that can run independently through a simple plug-and-play solar micro-grid installed in each home.
“There is no grid line,” said Jaideep Bansal, the Chief Operating Officer of the Global Himalayan Expedition. “Each home produces and consumes its own energy. The future of electricity is becoming grid independent so that household access to power is not susceptible to hurricanes, rainfall, or any other weather-related incidents.”
To participate, villagers are required to open a community bank account and each household must contribute Rs. 100 monthly to support maintenance and troubleshooting managed by a Village Electricity Management Committee.
