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Gender, Politics and Development:
Analysis of Photovoltaic
Installations in Rural Malian Communities The goal of this project is to analyze the efficacy and impact of solar panel installations for illumination of health clinics on women and children in rural Malian villages in need of renewable, clean energy. In addition to research and participation in solar panel installations in across Mali, experts on Malian gender, health and renewable energy issues were interviewed and consulted. Women’s differing health issues in the northern and southern regions of the country were also examined. The installation in the village of Kaara, in the southern Malian region of Sikasso, on the Centre de Santé Communautaire (CSCOM), health clinic, was used as a case study. Having electricity at the clinic has very significant health impacts for women and children in the community, as it provides light for night births. In Mali, the infant mortality rate is high at around 1 in 100 and the fertility rate is high at an average of 6.5 children born per woman. This research shows that solar illumination of health centers in rural Mali could result in better health care, lower infant mortality rates and lower mortality rates for delivering mothers due to increased visibility at births, and more disposable income for mothers because of the eliminated need to purchase kerosene for lamplight during births. This research will hopefully provide new critical analysis of gender issues of installations for the Mali-Folkecenter (a Malian non-governmental organization) and other non-governmental organizations involved in promoting access to renewable energy sources in rural Malian communities. |
