Larkipali is a small village in Balangir district of Orissa. It is at a distance of 20 kilometers from the district center. I was here to meet Puspa Majhi and Group. The woman sitting in the middle in picture with her hand raised is Puspa. Like most of the families in the village she and her husband do vegetable cultivation throughout the year and supply them to Bolangir market. They also keep cows and goats and sell milk in the market. With this they manage to earn Rs 60,000 to 70,000 per year for their family. She used to face a lot of problems when there used to be a power failure in the evening and also while returning from her vegetable fields. They often have to go to vegetables fields in the evening and night to protect the vegetables from the stray animals. For them, solar lantern funded though Milaap energy loans is no less than a boon. It has brought some comfort to their lives. Besides this her children are able to study in the late evening and night under the bright light. Puspa said that, it is difficult for them do bear the heat during the summer months when the power cuts are longer. They want to have solar powered fans and other appliances at home to make the lives comfortable for their members. This is one of those examples where novel energy has pushed people to think the ways of improving their lives.
Pushpa Majhi and Group
