Four nuns from the Shechen Nunnery in Bhutan are training in the Barefoot College to become solar engineers.

In September 2011, four nuns from Shechen Orgyen Chozong in Bhutan traveled to India to attend the Barefoot College founded by Bunker Roy. The college provides basic services and solutions to problems in rural communities with the objective of making them self-sufficient and sustainable. These ‘barefoot solutions’ can be broadly categorized into solar energy, water, education, health care, and women’s empowerment.

For the first time in the history of Bhutan, nuns are training to become solar engineers. Dema, Lemo Ysering, Yeshi, and Sangye Dema, four Bhutanese nuns from the Shechen Nunnery, are studying along side women from South America and Africa. They will follow a six-month course devoted to the installation and maintenance of solar electricity.

To eliminate any barriers of education and language, the Barefoot College trains using sign language. The course includes training in resistances, lantern circuits, soldering, and charger circuits.

The nuns are quick learners and have demonstrated an avid interest in learning this technology with grace and dignity, and seem to be enjoying this new learning experience.

Once their training is complete, they will install solar electricity at the Namo Buddha Retreat Center in Nepal and in their own nunnery in Bhutan. They will also teach the other nuns and monks how to maintain the systems. The project is sponsored by Karuna-Shechen.

This is a wonderful step toward a more ecological approach in countries where electricity is difficult to find and expensive to maintain. We look forward to their return as solar engineers!