Future Capitalism for the Poor- Solar Energy

By Yasmin Esack

('')

If wasn`t for a report carried by the BBC some months ago, I would never have heard of this incredible venture. So thanks BBC. What`s the story?

Dr. Mohammed Yunus`s Grameen Energy. On stream in Bangladesh is a woman led company that is producing photovoltaic cells or solar panels to trap solar energy. If all continues to go well, more than 100,000 women from the rural and urban poor will be employed fulltime within five years.

Recently anointed by US President Obama, (Yunus received a President`s medal for outstanding achievements) Mohammed Yunus has thousands of youths recruited on this program also and is one which will form a major part of Kenya`s Microcredit Summit in April 2010. (http://www.GrameemEnergy.com)

This is the future of capitalism, one that is led by the poor. Economic pundits predict that oil will reach $400 US per barrel within ten years. It is this fact that will bolster solar energy more so than the mania over climate change.

So, who wants to be a slum millionaire when you can be a slum billionaire?

It seems that climate change will take center stage at this year`s CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago. Local environmental groups are already gearing up for the show. Too much talk and too little action, I say. So, let`s follow Bangladesh`s lead in this business of global warming and take charge.

My question is: Do you think this project can be cloned in other parts of the world?

 

 

 

 

Custom Search Continue your experience with Google Search

Be interviewed today on one of the most popular radio programs in the nation.
Comment on this story, by emailing Judyth Piazza at comment@thesop.org  or join the SOP friend network with your Google, Yahoo, AOL, MSN or one ID account located on the front page of http://www.thesop.org