The Three Sisters

Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia Train Women to Use Energy

Energy conservation and efficient use of renewable energy resources were relatively new concepts in Vietnam, Lao, and Cambodia when this project began.

Yet all three countries had the advantage of having national women's organizations with superb capacity.

NRGmagnet President Lisa Surprenant had been working in Vietnam's national energy efficiency program when the idea for regional cooperation through "the three sisters" occurred to her.

As a result-and with the support from donor agencies-the project "Creating Awareness of Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Among Women in Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia" was born.

The project's aim was to increase household energy awareness in women as a means of empowerment using a three-tiered concept that was local, national, and regional.

For the local component, a reduction in women's and children's drudgery and increased access to income generation (through conservation) would encourage women to gain literacy and numeracy skills, generate income, socialize, or improve child-rearing. Any of these outcomes could lead to increased equality.

Nationally, capacity building through the women's organizations was considered an excellent way to use their extensive experience in national outreach to remote regions as well as enhance women's skills as project managers.

Regionally, this active cooperation among the "three sisters" (that is, countries with similar economic characteristics and development trajectories) would enhance the regional cooperation, making this project more sustainable over time.

Nearly 6,000 trainers were trained during this project. When it concluded, a task force of 11,000 women had received advice and more than five million households had been directly contacted.

It was estimated that in total, 50 million people in the three countries heard radio broadcasts, saw TV programs, or read newspaper articles about the program by "three sisters".

 

NRGmagnet llc is a certified SWaM (small minority- or woman-owned business) with offices in the US and Holland. We provide a full range of energy efficiency, greening, and renewable energy program services. We have a unique set of core capabilities including: Policy and Program Design, Master Planning, Infrastructure Assessment, Analytics; Gender & Disaster Program Support, Capacity-Building and Training, Program Implementation and Evaluation, Green Building Consultation, Standards and Labeling, Codes Support, Water Efficiency, Vulnerability Assessments, Baseline Surveys, Communications and Marketing, Monitoring and Evaluation, and EU Accession Advice.