Khadarlis Global, a non -governmental organisation that has also turned out to be a social venture organisation with a Sierra Leonean Aisha Khadar as Co- founder and Executive Director hopes to establish a solar firm in the country.
Khadarlis Global is an organisation set up by two people: Aisha Khadar and Darlis Johnson in 2006 and was registered in 2007.
In an interview with Awoko at her Dundas Street office, Aisha said they intend establishing the solar firm to help in the electricity issue in the country and to also bring clean energy.
she disclosed that she intends bringing solar manufacturer from the United States of America that does inverters, batteries and other solar accessories, “they will come here and build a farm only for solar, these solar energy will then be sold to government who in turn will run it for the citizens, this is going to be cheap, affordable and durable.”
Given a background to the organisation, the Executive Director of Khadarlis Global, said while in the United States, she was urged by her son to return home. “My son was doing research on the war in Sierra Leone. And whenever he comes home from school he will ask me about my country, how the war has ravaged the country.”
She went spoke of the frequent questioning and the manner he does it. “So, after the war since my mother wanted to come home, I came with her and she also urged to visit her home town which is Jimmi Gbabgo.”
Aisha said on arrival at the river leading to the town the memory “of how we were living with our grandmother made me feel nostalgic. It took some time to find our people and when we did, it was a real home coming as they sang for us and the wordings of the songs were that their daughter has returned and she is going to do something for them.”
“From that moment I came to the realisation that I have to do something even though I did not know what or when but I just got the conviction that I should do something for my community, people and the country as a whole.”
She went on, “I returned to the US and together with my son we started doing collection of different items whether old, used or unused, in about three weeks our compound became flooded with all types of items. It was during this that I got a call from Darlis Johnson who sent me a text that her father had died living her with inheritance and so she would want to join me in the course.”
Aisha Khadar furthered that “in 2006, we came to Sierra Leone and went straight to Jimmi Gbagbo where we met with the village people and they combined our names to Khadarlis, so that is how the name came about.”
This organisation has grown to become a non profit making venture. “After that year we started making several trips to the country mainly to Jimmi as we did not limit our philanthropy to Gbabgo alone, we have been able to dug couple of water wells, revive the only secondary school and constructed a mosque.”
Questioned about why she decided to go into providing solar energy to her people, Aisha Khadar disclosed that during their several visits together and stayed in Jimmi Gbabo, “we had problem with the light as there was no electricity supply in that part of the country. I went and discussed it with a university for us to come together and develop solar light that will be reasonable, durable and affordable, so that is how I came into the solar business.
By Betty Milton
Friday Januar 29, 2016
ADVERTISEMENT