A Karnataka-based NGO is one of the eight finalists for the UK-based green energy prize, the Ashden Award.
Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) in Karnataka has been selected alongside seven other organisations from Peru, Indonesia, Cambodia, Africa and Afghanistan as a finalist for the Ashden Awards.
A press release said here that the finalists will compete for over £120,000 prize money. The winners will be announced in London on May 30.
It said that SKDRDP provides affordable loans to families in the area, helping them buy renewable energy systems that improve their quality of life. Key to the success of this programme is self-help groups (SHGs) that help people make informed choices on what energy products they buy. It said that SKDRDP has so far provided nearly 20,000 energy loans.
Quoting the Founder-Director of Ashden, Ms Sarah Butler-Sloss, the release said: “Ensuring the poor have access to finance for sustainable energy technology will be a key factor in achieving the UN’s goal of ensuring universal access to modern energy services by 2030. SKDRDP is a perfect example of how an organisation, which encourages people to take responsibility for their finances, can play a major role towards achieving this aim.”