Solar Mamas

I watched an episode of "Solar Mamas" the other night. Here is a link to Why Poverty's Web page where you can find it.

And a short description of the video (source: Why Poverty):

"Rafea is an uneducated Bedouin mother from the Jordanian desert. She gets the chance to go to the Barefoot College, where middle-aged women from poor communities train to become solar engineers, and bring power to their communities. The college brings together women from all over the world. But learning about electrical components without being able to read, write or understand English is the easy part. Rafea is forced to risk everything, including losing her children, if she wants to complete the course."

The video shows how we are really living in a divided world. Our daughters are expected to have an education. Here we are stressing over things like gender-neutral toy brochures! In some other countries women's education may still be seen as a threat. Woman's place is at home serving the husband and taking care of everything. Two totally different worlds!

It was interesting to see how women who could not read or write nor understand English, were learning in a multicultural classroom. First I thought that they will never learn if the teacher just keeps lecturing in English. But then they changed to learn-by-doing method, and the women started to understand about engineering! Becoming a solar engineer was not the greatest learning outcome of the course though. It was great to see the women finding their confidence and questioning the existing gender roles. I really loved the moment when all the women were dancing and celebrating together!

If someone sees or talks to Rafea, please tell her that she has got an admirer in Finland. World needs women like her to change the statue quo! Hopefully her daughters will find it easier to have an education and a career. It would be interesting to hear one day how her family is doing, and how the small village is developing.