Without any power connections, solar lantern is all that they have after sunset

As I left one borrower's house, I geared up to meet yet another group for an energy loan. Little did I know that it was going to be one of the most interesting field visits. After 15-20 minutes, I and the field officer reached a village named Ghungi. As we stopped outside a house made of mud (Kachha), the officer went to 3 old women sitting on a Cot(Charpaai) and asked them to call all the women of that group. The Group consisted of 13 borrowers, but only 10 were available at that time. One of the women asked me to come inside and sit, but soon she realized that we couldn't fit in that one room. So, another woman said that we should go to her house. This woman was Minati Sahu, she had a warm and affectionate smile. As we entered the house, we saw a pile of rice on the left side, then we went to her verandah and sat there. All the women gathered in her verandah, which had hens, chicks, ducks and a small nursery. I started talking to all the borrowers, and they had similar stories to tell. Agriculture was the dominant occupation for most of the borrowers though one of them was also a fish seller. I started talking to Kuni Malik and she had something different to tell. While most women used solar lanterns during power cuts, which were frequent, Kuni Malik on the other hand didn't have a power connection only. Kuni Malik and her family used the Solar Lantern for everything. Her children use it to study after sunset, she uses it for cooking and many other chores. They survive on the solar Lantern for everything after sunset, and switch it off when they have to sleep. She seemed more than happy with the solar light. These people couldn't understand my language and i couldn't understand their language. The field officer was the link of communication, but still they made me feel like i was one of them. Minati's verandah had various plants- cucumber, peas, etc. They showed me all the plants and served me with tea. Minati Malik even asked me to stay at her house, as it was a little late. Your loan has helped these people a great deal. They usually have a hard time cooking, as all of them had traditional chuhlas(cooktoves), but during power cuts, it became even more difficult to cook. Now the Solar Lantern has made things a little more easier for them. As I got ready to leave, I was filled with a sense of amazement at their welcoming spirit. The solar Lantern is a boon, particularly, for those borrowers who have no power connections. As Kuni Malik said "After the sun goes down, the Solar Lantern is all that I have". It is amazing how a small thing like a solar lantern can be so uselful for someone. The loan, they said, was worth every penny.