USAID Holds Workshop in Kerala Focused on Role of Women in Energy in South Asia

April 21, 2008

CHENNAI – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperation with the Energy Management Center of Kerala, is holding a five day workshop on clean and efficient energy management for South Asian women. The workshop will be held at the Muthoot Plaza, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on April 21-25, 2008. Honorable Minister for Electricity, Shri A.K. Balan, Government of Kerala; His Excellency Shri R.L. Bhatia, Kerala Governor; and Beth Hogan, USAID Deputy Mission Director, opened the workshop this morning.

The workshop, part of the USAID South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy (SARI/Energy), will provide female professionals working in the energy sector from the region an opportunity to exchange ideas and share best practices in energy conservation and efficiency. Participants will learn methods for providing low cost efficient energy to the urban and rural poor, with a specific focus on women because of their unique role in the household energy sector.

SARI/Energy promotes energy security in South Asia through three activity areas: cross border energy trade, energy markets, and clean energy access partnerships. Through these activities SARI/Energy facilitates more efficient regional energy resource utilization, mitigates the environmental impacts of energy production, and increases regional access to energy resources. SARI/Energy countries include: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.