The SOLARES project staff conducted a pilot installation of 100 Solar Home System (SHS) Units at Datal Basak, Brgy. Kablacan, Maasim, Sarangani Province on May 3-4, 2021. The pilot installation will serve as an example to the neighboring sitios/puroks, barangays and municipalities that the SHS unit is capable of providing basic needs of energy in each household.
The project staff together with SOCOTECO II - SBU prepared 120 SHS units for the pilot installation. Due to the terrain condition at Datal Basak, SHS units were transported by foot (from the nearest point the truck could reach to the venue).
Distribution formally started after lunch. The project team conducted an orientation to the beneficiary households, with information on SOLARES, its donor European Union, and the implementing partners of Mahintana Foundation, Inc. and Peace and Equity Foundation.
Community members showed appreciation, including those who initially showed no interest during SOLARES and SOCOTECO II social marketing. Several still requested to apply and avail of the SHS units, seeing their neighbors using the light provided by the project.