Minu Laskar and Group – Solar Lamps (Jaynagar, West Bengal, India)
Minu Laskar and Group come from Jaynagar, a village in South 24 Parganas of West Bengal. Minu Laskar, Asura, Jaynab and Ajma are some of the nine members of the group. They are seeking a joint loan to buy solar lights for their households. Their village is plagued by frequent power cuts, sometimes extending for up to 12 hours at a stretch. This forces people to end their work early and disrupts their daily activities including businesses and their children’s studies, especially at night. They plan on buying solar lights which has a two-fold benefit in comparison to normal kerosene lamps. Solar lights, being naturally powered requires a one- time investment after which no fuel is required to constantly power the lamp, as in the case of kerosene thereby reducing monthly expenditure. Secondly, they do not emit any harmful fumes and are environment friendly. As each solar light costs Rs. 1600, the group is requesting a loan of Rs. 14,400 to buy 9 solar lights, which will be repaid to you within 12 months. This loan will allow the group and their family to lead a much better life and will come a long way in helping them to be more productive and avail better living conditions.
