Modi signs five agreements with Tanzania, interacts with 'Solar Mamas'

Dar-es-Salaam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with 'Solar Mamas', a group of rural women solar engineers from different African countries who have been trained under programmes supported by India for harnessing solar energy.

"Celebrating the Solar Mamas!PM interacts with women trained in vocational skills under India's developmental support," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

He interacted with each woman who have been trained to fabricate, install, use, repair and maintain solar lanterns and household solar lighting systems in their villages.

The women, who are also known as solar engineers, showcased some products to Modi they had made.

The 'Solar Mamas', who come from across Africa, are trained at Barefoot college in Rajasthan or the centre in Tanzania.

Modi, who arrived in Tanzania yesterday as part of his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent, particularly in the economic sphere, posed for photographs with 'Solar Mamas' following the interaction.

The women are also trained in solar electrification and other entrepreneurial skills such as bee-keeping and tailoring.

Under Government of India-supported programmes, the college in Rajasthan has been promoting and training rural women solar engineers from Africa in household solar lighting systems.

A barefoot women vocational training college in Zanzibar Islands of Tanzania and other countries in Africa has also been setup for imparting solar electrification skills and distributing solar kits.

These colleges also support various entrepreneurial skills such a bee-keeping and tailoring among others.