This young student is going to help equip villages in the highest parts of the world with solar panels

Profoundly touched by the situation of certain outlying  villages during her last trip to India, Elissa Ferron has gotten involved with the Global Himalayan Expedition association to provide solar energy to a Himalayan community 💡 

One in seven don’t have access to electricity. Did you know that 40% of the world’s population still relies on polluting fuels for lighting, cooking, and heating?

Elissa Ferron, a graduate from the Bachelor degree programme, has been selected to join the next GHE expedition. This 22-year-old student in Sustainable Development at ESCP, will soon leave for the Ladakh region, in the north of India, to install solar panels. The project will benefit the Yougar community, a village of around 85 inhabitants who still depend on kerosene. The toxic fumes threaten the health of the locals and cause a number of cancers, and the women must sometimes walk for over two weeks to get more fuel.    

Learn more about this project (video on Youtube)

To reach this community, she will do a trek to an altitude of 4500m with a team of 15 other young adventurers. Thanks to the expertise of GHE and the engineers who have already done installations in some 100 villages, the village will be entirely equipped with clean energy. The inhabitants will then enjoy access to artificial light. What’s more, a computer with satellite connection will be made available so women can book tourists into guest rooms, and children can have access to educational tools. An engineer will be trained on site to ensure the system continues to work. In just a few days, Elissa and her team will put an end to years of darkness.

“Raising awareness among local communities is a big issue for all of us. It’s becoming urgent to meet the energy needs of a rapidly growing population by providing a sustainable solution,” said the student.

This is a great project that is both social and environmental at the same time, and that will inspire others to take action. This project is made possible thanks to the Circular Economy Committee of Deloitte ESCP. Help Elissa carry out her initiative by making a donation to it (click on the link below) and share to give her maximum visibility!

Click here to support this important project