Initiative for Right View (IRV) helped set up a solar-powered incubator to be operated by 10 women in the community which will be accessed by 119 families of the village. Photo: Dhaka Tribune
A total of 119 families live in Chapatola Guchchagram of Jatharapur Union under Bagerhat Sadar Upazila. Most of them are extremely poor.
Initiative for Right View (IRV) has been working with this community since 2022 with an aim to improve their quality of life through holding training sessions and by organising these communities. As part of the endeavor, IRV helped set up a solar-powered incubator to be operated by 10 women in the community which will be accessed by 119 families of the village. Funded by ActionAid Bangladesh, this initiative has already helped 20 local women in emerging as entrepreneurs.
Earlier, Hanif Sheikh used to run his family by selling water at market stalls. This did not solve his financial crisis but now he hatches and sells eggs from a solar-powered incubator and is getting better financially. This transgender entrepreneur is a resident of Chapatla Guchcha village in Bagerhat Sadar.
It is not only Hanif Sheikh who has benefited from IRV. In the model piloting project in Chapatla and Shrighat Guchcha villages, about 650 extremely poor people from 157 families are now doing well financially. All of them have eggs hatched in solar-powered incubators and are getting double the income.
Earlier, they would earn Tk10-12 by selling each egg. Now they are earning Tk25-30 by selling chicks.
This success will soon be shared by more people from Khalpar Shrighat, Ranabhoomi and Chapatla Madhyapara as three more incubators are being set up in these areas. This model is already being implemented in various other parts of the country, including Bagerhat, Satkhira, Patuakhali and Cox's Bazar.
Amena Begum, a person with disabilities from Chapatla Guchchagram, said: “Previously I could not do anything other than household chores. I had no income. I am now able to earn by selling chickens by hatching eggs in the incubator.”
And then there is Sabina Begum.
"Earlier, we used to struggle a lot. Now, with the help of these machines, we are able to hatch chickens ourselves. This has increased our income and made it easier to meet family expenses. We are educating our daughter. We thank IRV for providing us with this solar-powered incubator," she said.
Another female entrepreneur, Aduri Khatun, said: "Since it is a solar-powered incubator, it does not consume any electricity. We can earn greater profit from this machine. We want such solar-powered incubators to spread all over Bangladesh so that poor women like us can develop as entrepreneurs.”
How it started
In a meeting with local participants in 2022, IRV made the discovery that the only capital these marginalized people had was some chickens and hens. Thus, IRV wanted these people to use their capital and become self-reliant. Initially, IRV wanted to provide some incubators to the villagers but a cost-benefit analysis showed that if electricity was used to produce these chicks, the bill would be a big expense for these poor families. Therefore, it was decided that a solar-powered incubator would be set up. It would also reduce pressure on fossil fuels.
Why solar-powered incubators?
One of the most important ways to rapidly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions is through a fair energy transition. The steps toward this transition include moving away from fossil fuels, moving energy production to zero-carbon and modernizing the power grid. Currently, the excessive use of fossil fuels has led to global problems like climate change. In this situation, it is important to enhance the use of environmentally friendly renewable energy. The solar incubator is being used for this purpose.
Social Impact
Prioritizing renewable energy initiatives and supporting women and marginalized groups in entrepreneurship is helping to create economic independence among women. This initiative is improving the position of women in local societies. It is also helping to increase the supply of chicks in the local market.
Background of the plan and success
Marina Parveen Yuthi, executive director of IRV, said: “There is now a global call for a fair energy transition to address the impacts of climate change. Therefore, the use of renewable energy must be increased by stopping the use of fossil fuels. But for a just energy transition, these technologies, materials and equipment need to be gender sensitive and gender responsive. In the global search for a renewable energy future, the voices and experiences of women and marginalized groups are often unheard and ignored. Despite playing a crucial role in the energy transition process, women face barriers that prevent their inclusion and full participation in decision-making processes.”
“However, in the context of Bangladesh, marginalized communities in coastal areas, especially women and children, are the most affected by the negative impacts of climate change.”
“IRV is working to improve the livelihoods of landless communities in Bagerhat. It is also committed to empowering women and promoting their economic development. As an innovation initiative for this region, IRV is organizing landless women to hatch chicken eggs through solar-powered incubators,” she added.