Happy Solar from Sking

“Best things happen by chance”. So I heard in a movie. GHE happened by chance and it happened when I needed it the most. On this trip, expect the unexpected and the fun is guaranteed. On one hand I felt so many emotions at once and on the other, nothing at all, just peace. Earlier I used to always question myself that does it really matter what work I do in life? Should it be something that influences the society or impacts the environment? Do I care?

GHE answered!

Truly GLOBAL

Wherever in the world I traveled, people are all the same. Everybody has a sour past, a struggling present and a hopeful future. Every story is personally customized and every human is one of its own kind. On this journey, I heard 19 different stories from 7 different countries. But one common cause of eco-friendly electrification brought us together to the mighty Himalayas. Cutting off from the virtual world and connecting with the real world is a luxury that I discovered here. Games, exercise and sports became the medium for bonding. 

Traditionally HIMALAYAN

I thought that the Milky-way could not be seen from the Earth, but nature surprised me  at every turn in the Himalayas. At 4000m above the sea level, the atmosphere is thin and there are no city lights for kilometers in radius. These conditions make it easy for us to witness a bright streak of gases across the night sky surrounded by mountains. Playing football at such a height is something that not many people get to experience. 

This region is a cold desert. The milky blue rivers and the blinding snow peaks followed us with occasional view of glaciers. The Ladakh district of Kashmir is greatly influenced by the Tibetan culture with numerous ancient buddhist monasteries and stupas. The home stay, an initiative of GHE, is the only chance someone can get to spend a day in the life of a local villager. 

Once in a lifetime EXPEDITION

I can't forget that night when my heart felt overwhelmed and my eyes glittered as the village of Sking came to light and all the villagers cheered ‘Happy Solar’. It's amusing to see how a civilization survives in such tough living conditions. 

Electrification of the village was the sole purpose and the most challenging part of the journey. Every house was a mystery because of its unique architecture and secret items hidden in it. In the end, it was immensely satisfying to get hands on job experience. Our team installed solar power micro-grids on 31 households within 2 days. 

With time the villagers will realize that the power of electricity is way beyond than just generating light. These villages have their heritage that needs to be protected otherwise it would be lost to the cities. This initiative has not only helped reduce carbon emissions but also helped remove many social stigmas in my mind. GHE taught me that we don't need qualifications to make a positive impact on the society and the environment, but we just need the will to do so.

GHE is the epitome of sustainable tourism. It's not only about what you take away from a place, but it's more about how you help to make it a better place. Now ask yourself, “Does it matter to you?”.