Most families in Purok Tumpok make a living from farming and raising animals, and children grow up helping with daily work. Getting to the purok requires a walk of about twenty minutes along a mud road. On dry days, the path is manageable. When it rains, it becomes slippery and difficult to pass. This affects everyone, but especially children who walk this path daily to reach school. On rainy days, some children stay home. Others walk through the mud anyway, arriving with soaked shoes and stained socks.
Electricity has never been a given in Purok Tumpok. Connecting to the grid is expensive, and even households with electricity know that repairs often take a long time because service vehicles cannot easily reach the community along the muddy road. For this reason, electricity has long been seen as a privilege rather than a basic service.
Recognizing that energy poverty continues to limit opportunities for many geographically isolated communities, the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute (NYLI) launched Project REConnect to expand access to clean, reliable, and community-managed renewable energy. More than installing solar systems, the initiative equips local volunteers with technical skills, strengthens community ownership, and ensures that renewable energy solutions remain sustainable long after implementation.
Before the installation of solar energy in Purok Tumpok, daily routines revolved around the community’s limited access to electricity. Children did their schoolwork while there was still daylight. Phones were charged at the local sari-sari store, usually costing ten to fifteen pesos per charge, sometimes twice a day. Mothers prepared meals before sunset. At night, the community relied on whatever light they could find: small solar lamps, phone flashlights, kerosene lamps, or even the dim glow from lighters. The darkness made moving around unsafe, and evenings were short and quiet.
Frank, a young leader from Purok Tumpok, reached out to us to share the community’s energy needs and ensure their voices were heard. Through him, Project REConnect was introduced to the residents, who responded with cautious hope. They already understood the value of renewable energy, as many had begun using small solar lamps for everyday tasks. Still, some remained hesitant. They had seen similar initiatives come and go, and past promises that never materialized made them careful in their optimism.
With the help of volunteer Solarkadas from the community, Project REConnect successfully solarized all thirty-seven households in Purok Tumpok on December 10, 2025. Throughout the project, residents remained actively involved by participating in consultations, community meetings, technical trainings, and learning sessions on solar system care and maintenance. This participatory approach ensured that the community was not simply receiving solar systems but building the knowledge and confidence to sustain them. Their commitment laid the groundwork for the changes we witnessed during our post-implementation visit on January 8.
The community reported small but meaningful changes in daily routines. Residents shared that they now start their days with more energy and excitement, knowing they have reliable light at home. Evenings no longer feel rushed. Families can prepare dinner later into the night instead of finishing by late afternoon. With proper lighting, children can study in the evening, phones can be charged at home, and laundry can be done even after sunset.
Some residents also shared that they now stay up late scrolling on their phones, something they had never been able to do before. What may seem ordinary elsewhere feels new in the community. Having light means having time that is truly their own—time to rest, to be entertained, or simply to unwind at the end of the day. These moments reflect a deeper shift brought by solar power, restoring a sense of dignity and reminding people that comfort and leisure are not luxuries but part of a good life.
These changes have also eased financial pressure. Households no longer need to spend money on phone charging services, allowing them to redirect those expenses toward food or school allowances for their children. While the savings may seem small on a daily basis, residents shared that over time they create meaningful relief for many families. Solar power has also brought a greater sense of reliability, especially during rainy days when brownouts were once common. Residents described having fewer things to worry about and feeling less stressed when planning their household budgets.
The presence of light has reshaped community life as well. Children now play outside after dark, neighbors spend more time together in the evenings, and parents feel safer moving around the community at night. A community that was once quiet after sunset now feels active, connected, and more secure.
The solar systems are cared for by the community itself. Trained volunteer Solarkadas continue to monitor and maintain the systems, while households have learned how to care for them as well. By combining renewable energy with local leadership and technical capacity, Project REConnect is building communities that are not only powered by the sun but empowered to sustain their own energy future.
When asked to describe what solar power has meant to them, residents used words such as thankful, happy, blessed, kasanag, kalipay, grateful, and kauswagan. With the sun now lighting every home and the community taking responsibility for the systems themselves, sustainable energy has become more than a convenience. It has become a foundation for brighter, more resilient, and more hopeful tomorrows.
