Solar Mamas - Hilton LightStay Sustainability Award

"Solar Mamas" documents the amazing story of the Barefoot College, where women from all over the world, many of whom have never had any formal education, are trained to become solar engineers so that they can bring electricity back to their homes. The film is one of the first honored by the Hilton Worldwide LightStay Sustainability Award, an award created by Hilton Worldwide and Sundance Institute to acknowledge documentaries that showcase the connections between sustainability, economic growth and community development.

For more information:

http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/sustainability

How incredible is it to see somebody

who has the opportunity to do something
that they've never done before .

I mean just completely changed their lives
and in such a short period of time

you come back and bring light

to your entire community
when they haven't had light before,

when the kids haven't been
able to study at night .

You see this book

Everything in this book
their grandmother will learn

in 6 months .

So if the lady is scared now tell me,

Now is the time to say no.

Two years ago, I came to Sundance
and met Bunker Roy

and he is the person who started the Barefoot College.

We started talking about what he did
and he said well I train grandmothers

how to become solar engineers

Women who go to India for 6 months .

Women from the most disenfranchised
parts of the world,

many of whom don't know
how to read or write,

and I just thought this was
the most incredible story.

When we initially started
to pull for this film

We thought we would follow 3 women
from 3 different countries around the globe

that were attending
the Barefoot College in India.

Within one month

and one character really stood out

and her name was Raifea

After a month into her education.

Her husband called her home and said
if you don't come back,

then I will divorce you and steal your kids
and you'll never see them again.

So it was her drive from there
to get back to India.

And you know make her brain work

and use her education
to better herself

and her village that
made her just overtake the entire film.

I want to change
the situation in this village.

You think I am a joke
and full of hot air.

Right? Wrong, you are wrong.

We'll see

There's an energy crisis around the world .

Specifically to Jordan.

They have no natural energy source
so solar energy is something huge

It really has to be pushed
on the ground there .

It's great .

The company like Hilton can

help filmakers
raise global awareness

Airing these stories
in Hilton's worldwide

you have much better exposure,

then we would just in the theater
or television

It really helps to get the message
out there.

the sustainability is a very important issue
that we have to address right now .

I think everybody in the world

is at one point in their lives

faced with this question.

Can I possibly do this?

Here is something that I don't think
there's any way that I can do this,

but I really Iove to try
and the fear of that,

and ultimately if you're successful
at something that you're really afraid of

that can be some of the most

you know the most life-changing moments.

Thank you.