These diesel-run generators can be used to power processing equipment, such as mills, freeing the women from time-consuming jobs such as grinding rice by hand. As a result it was found that on average the women had an extra two to four hours a day to devote to education, childcare and healthcare, the UN said.
An evaluation found that literacy rates have risen from an average of 29% to 39% after the generators were installed in 14 villages in the Eastern region of Burkina Faso. The same project is already in place in Mali and Senegal, while pilot versions have been launched in a further six West African countries.
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