Hashoo Foundation (HF) will work with the community to install and operate a shared hydropower for 900 villagers. The hard to access village remains off-grid affecting its socio-economic progress. The inhabitants of the village worked together to build a 3 km long water channel for irrigation. The fall within the water channel has a potential to generate hydro-electricity. Designed on a build, train and transfer model, this project will lighten up 900 lives!!
Gurunjor is one of many off-grid villages in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Pakistan. Due to the poor current infrastructure, only massive investment will connect these villages to the national electricity grid. Fortunately, the snow melt provides a constant supply of water with a steep gradient that can be used for small scale hydropower solutions. With the installation of community-maintained hydropower units, the project will help transform the socio-economic indicators of the locals.
The electricity will contribute to promoting education as well as connecting the village to the outside world. The long winter results in the virtual breakdown of communication with the villagers. Emergencies go unreported and no help reaches the area. This power will facilitate internet services that will connect the village enabling action to be taken. Households will be able to power lighting, charging of appliances switch from wood-burning methods used for cooking and heating.
The clean energy will prove beneficial in the long run. Reducing carbon emissions from traditional methods used, will reduce health risks, and their costs, which in turn will allow the beneficiaries to invest the saved income on their family's welfare. The power will also provide online avenues to information eg. health and education services, leading to improved wellbeing and literacy. It will also modernise the value chains as the low-cost electricity will power machinery for businesses.
