LocationsHow can access to solar energy transform the lives of the remote village in the Cacheu Region?
In conversation with the community to understand the use of solar energy.
Quintino Ramalho
In our previous blog [full blog here], the Accelerator Lab explored the importance of energy access in Guinea-Bissau and its unique impact on women. We now move into the second phase of our Learning Cycle, where we're putting ideas to the test.
Our experiment takes place in Cobiana, a rural village in the Cacheu region with just over 500 residents. Divided into six neighborhoods, Cobiana is home to women who make up the majority of the population and serve as the primary breadwinners of their households. Here, we’re not just exploring if solar energy can increase income. We’re testing whether it can transform lives.
In Cobiana, women spend the bulk of their days performing strenuous labor, cutting wood, collecting water from unsafe areas, processing rice and oil manually under the hot sun. Beyond the physical burden, these activities eat away at their time, limiting opportunities for education, economic empowerment, and community engagement. On top of that, Cobiana sits within a protected area, and current practices pose serious threats to the environment and biodiversity.
So we defined the TEST hypothesis as follows:
IF women in Cacheu have access to solar energy, THEN traditional harmful and time-consuming practices they engage in will become less strenuous, freeing up time for them to participate in economic activities that can boost the local economy.
Drone footage of the Cobiana village.
Quintino Ramalho
Designing Transformation
We approached this question using design thinking, engaging the community directly to co-create sustainable, locally relevant solutions. Early insights revealed that solar panels alone wouldn't be enough. To maximize the impact and ensure long-term sustainability, several enabling conditions needed to be in place first:
1. Literacy and Night Classes for Women
The women of Cobiana, during the 1st phase highlighted that literacy is a barrier to meaningful participation in economic activities proposing literacy as a solution. So, we adapted our economic activity work developed in No Firmanta, originally developed solutions and businesses in urban centres across the country for the women in Cobiana, integrating it with our broader inclusive growth efforts.
2. Formalization of Community Associations
With associations formally established in each neighborhood, the women are now positioned to manage community banks. These banks will help fund maintenance of solar infrastructure and serve as hubs for small-scale lending and local entrepreneurship.
3. Solar-Powered Boreholes
Horticulture is one of the main livelihoods in Cobiana. With the introduction of solar boreholes, women will have easier access to water, enhancing both food security and income-generating capacity.
4. Solar-Powered Machinery
To alleviate the physical burden and increase productivity, we are introducing solar-adapted machines for rice milling and oil extraction. These tools reduce labour, improve safety, and boost output, meaning more time, energy, and money for women.
5. Motorbike Carts for Transport
As Cobiana is located 50 km from Canchungo (the nearest urban center), and accessible only by narrow, sandy roads, these small vehicles will help women transport goods to market more efficiently, expanding their customer reach and improving profitability.
Idenfitication of existing associations or community groups in the village of Cobiana.
Quintino Ramalho
What’s Going Well
As part of our human-centered approach, we brought on a Community Engagement Consultant who works closely with the local community to support the formalization of associations, setup of the community banks, and coordination of literacy training. Based in Canchungo, the consultant travels weekly to Cobiana to ensure that all systems are in place before the arrival of the solar panels and equipment.
Although we've faced delays in the delivery of materials, this time has been valuable. It’s allowed the community to strengthen the foundational structures needed for long-term success.
Informal meeting with women of Cobiana to discuss the existing economic activities.
Quintino Ramalho
What Needs Improvement
Working with rural communities comes with challenges, particularly when livelihoods depend on daily subsistence farming.
• Trust Issues: Previous experiences with abandoned projects have made communities understandably hesitant. Without tangible materials on the ground, some are unsure whether this project will follow through.
• Time Constraints: Many women are unable to attend meetings regularly. Time spent in workshops can feel like time lost in the fields, where they work to survive.
This stands in contrast with communities like São Domingos, near the Senegalese border, where there’s a stronger culture of long-term thinking and sustainability. In Cobiana, part of the challenge is changing mindsets, a slow, layered process that we must approach with empathy and patience.
Solar powered radio used for national news by the village Chief.
Quintino Ramalho
Next Steps: Building a Baseline
We initiated this process with a design thinking survey to identify community needs. Now, with a clearer understanding of how solar energy will support and enhance women-led economic activities, the next step is to establish a baseline for measuring impact.
In the coming weeks, we’ll collect data on:
Current income from rice, oil, and horticulture
Time spent on labor-intensive tasks
Literacy and participation in community groups
This baseline will allow us to monitor change, measure success, and adjust our approach as needed.
Community meeting to discuss realities of lack of access to energy.
Quintino Ramalho