Giving Power to Ride 4 a Woman

Ride 4 a Woman with their new solar installation, 2024

Returning to Africa & Realizing a Dream

In 2021, my mother and I went on an extended safari in Africa, a trip that led to one of my proudest accomplishments — bringing reliable power to women in Uganda. We traveled through Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Uganda, and on the final day, we visited Ride 4 a Woman, a charitable organization working to empower women socially and economically.

Ride 4 a Woman was unlike any other place we had visited during our three weeks in Africa. Their shop was filled with high-quality merchandise, and their community center was well-run and efficient. We had witnessed extreme poverty and hardships during our community walk in the village of Buhoma, but at Ride 4 a Woman, people were thriving.

After shopping until we didn’t think we could carry more merchandise, Shallon, who was minding the store, told us they could ship our items. I asked her if they had an online shop, and she said, “No, but that would be a dream come true.”

The conversation stayed with me after I returned home and set in motion an innovative construction project—a project that required a tremendous amount of work and many people’s help. After three years of research, fundraising, and planning, through a partnership with GivePower, we would complete the installation of a solar energy system to help the determined women of Ride 4 a Woman operate and grow their community center.

My mom and I packed our bags, booked our travel, and readied ourselves for a return visit to Africa. It was time for a giant celebration.

About Ride 4 a Woman

Ride 4 a Woman was founded by Evelyn Habasa and her husband, Denis Rubalema in 2009. It began with a promise that Evelyn made to her mother. Evelyn’s mother worked hard to provide her with an education, and she wanted Evelyn to use that knowledge to uplift the women in their community. While studying at the university in Kampala, Evelyn met Denis, and they fell in love. While it is customary for a woman to move to her husband’s hometown after marriage, Denis liked Evelyn’s home in Buhoma and agreed to break tradition to return there and help Evelyn keep her promise to her mother. They began by renting bikes to tourists, which is how they named their organization — when tourists rented and rode their bikes, it would help the women in Buhoma. Eventually, Evelyn met an Australian tourist named Patricia, who taught Evelyn and some of the women how to sew. Ride 4 a Woman also learned basket weaving. They sold these handcrafted goods to tourists and grew their business; as they made money, Evelyn invested their earnings into the community.

Today, Ride 4 a Woman has benefitted more than 300 women from 11 villages. They have trained over 100 women in job skills and now employ 60 of them at their community center; the majority are victims of domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and extreme poverty. In addition, Ride 4 a Woman provides microloans to women so they may start their own businesses, with over 150 local start-ups attributed to their financing. Other programs include sponsoring more than 250 children to attend school, providing families with goats or solar panels, and building homes for those in need. Ride 4 a Woman’s impact on the entire community is profound.

Opportunity Through GivePower

When we returned home, and I unpacked the items I had purchased, I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of helping Ride 4 a Woman create an online store. I contacted Evelyn and asked her what she needed most to develop and grow their income and services. To my surprise, she answered, “electricity”. The entire community center had been running on a used generator they had purchased in the 90s, and it was falling apart. It was inevitable that if they didn’t replace this generator soon, they would no longer have available electricity.

I had just met someone who could help. At the beginning of the same three-week safari trip, my mom and I had dinner at a lovely rooftop restaurant in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Dining at the table next to us, a couple was enjoying a brief stop after a work trip they had completed in Kenya. I learned they had just built a solar water farm, converting brackish water to clean drinking water using solar technology. The woman was Michele Magee, the President of GivePower, a United States registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. GivePower uses solar and battery storage technologies to deliver essential services to the developing world.

Dining at a Rooftop Restaurant in Zanzibar, 2021

I reached out to Michele by sending her a note through GivePower’s general “contact us” form on their website. She was excited about the idea and how it had serendipitously come together. We began vetting the Ride 4 a Woman project to determine if it was worthwhile for GivePower to take it on. First, we looked at Ride 4 a Woman and its impact on the community. We examined how providing electricity could improve that impact. Finally, we conducted a site survey to determine exactly what system would be needed and its cost.

Fundraising & Bringing Our Project to Life

One year later, our project to bring solar power to Ride 4 a Woman was given the green light by GivePower. Now, we needed to raise $75,000 to pay for it.

All fundraising efforts were my responsibility. I created a GoFundMe, with all donations going directly to GivePower. It took me two years of challenging work to fundraise the amount needed. I had to get creative beyond asking friends and family to give. I formed partnerships, created events, and, above all, I kept asking for help. Nearly a hundred people donated cash or merchandise, purchased an auction item, or offered support. This project would not have been possible without the generous help we received from so many people, businesses, organizations, and media partners who contributed to making this dream become a reality.

When I reached $50,000 of the $75,000 needed, Michele contacted me to let me know that GivePower was moving ahead with the project. GoodLeap, the generous donor who covers all of GivePower’s administrative costs, would contribute the balance needed through their newly formed Impact Squad. The Impact Squad was formed to support projects at GivePower through voluntary payroll deductions by their employees. The Ride 4 a Woman project was selected as their first initiative, prompting over 400 GoodLeap employees to sign up. With the rise in costs over two years of fundraising, the balance needed increased to $40,000, and GoodLeap’s Impact Squad raised this entire amount. Production would begin in August 2024, and they expected the project would be completed in September.

When we scheduled the Lighting Ceremony for September 18, 2024, we knew we had to attend. My mom and I were excited to return to Uganda to see power installed at the Ride 4 a Woman Community Center.

OUR AFRICA TRIP, SEPTEMBER, 2024

Arriving at Ride 4 a Woman in Uganda - 9/15/2024

It had been three years since we visited Ride 4 a Woman and when we arrive this time, we receive an enormous welcome. As we pull up in the driveway, I can see everyone gathered together and waiting for us. We step out of the vehicle and Denis receives us with open arms and a kind smile as all of the women break out into song and dance. It is a surprise to be received this way, and it brings me to tears.

We arrive on a Sunday morning when many people are at church services and fewer women work throughout the day. Our first day can be spent relaxing with the women and reacquainting ourselves with the community center. After settling into our beautiful and comfortable rooms, we go to the main workshop. Typically, sewing and basket weaving take place in separate buildings, but on Sundays, everyone can gather in the main workshop. It’s wonderful to spend time all together after years apart. We are looking forward to four days here, fully immersing ourselves in the daily lives of these women.

A Full Day at Ride 4 a Woman & Learning about the Solar Power Installation - 9/16/2024

Shake Off

Days at Ride 4 a Woman start with Shake Off. Nearly all of the women come from a difficult situation at home, dealing with abuse, illness, poverty, and extreme hardship. To ensure that each day begins anew, women shake off their troubles to start the day so that when they begin their work at the community center, they can move forward without being hindered by their problems.

Everyone gathers with a song, a gentle opening hymnal. Gradually, this song builds and increases in energy until women are moved to begin dancing. The energy becomes infectious, and more and more women join in until there is a raucous dance party, complete with whooping and jumping. It works. Whatever negativity women come in with is left on the dance floor. All that remains is a positive, energetic start to a new day.

In between dances, a woman is selected to share her story in front of the group. This is done intentionally to help each woman build confidence and dispel any shame her story may hold for her. Today, Brenda is sharing her story for the first time. She is shy and breaking down. I watch as she puts her head down on the desk to hide her face, and tears fall onto her black skirt, pooling in her lap. She shares that she is one of six children. She and her family lived together until her father took a new wife and left her, her mother, and her five siblings without any income. Brenda began working at Ride 4 a Woman and she earned enough to help provide for her family. Eventually, her father became ill, and he returned to Brenda’s mother and their family so they could take care of him. I am heartbroken and angry at the injustice and selfishness of her father’s actions. Then Evelyn stands up next to Brenda. She tells the group that she is happy that Brenda’s father came back. She points out that Brenda’s success brought her family back together and that Brenda is a strong provider for her family. Brenda can hold her head up proudly. Eventually, she does precisely that, no longer hiding her face or crying.

We break out into another joyous dance. We’ve shaken it off.

The Work Day and Chores

After Shake Off, the workday begins. There are also chores to be done at the community center. Women work together, handling the laundry, cleaning, gardening, and cooking. Being here reminds me of when my family would do the chores on our farm. Everywhere, the mood is industrious and cheerful.

Ride 4 a Woman has significantly grown since our visit three years ago. The expansion in their workforce has required more workspace, and their increase in revenue supported the construction of two new buildings. A new workshop now provides the women with a space dedicated to basketweaving, while the sewing takes place in the original main workshop. Reciprocally, this expansion has allowed Ride 4 a Woman to hire more women. Every win is an investment into another victory. To see this growth is incredible and I can’t help but think how our investment of reliable, renewable energy will expand Ride 4 a Woman’s growth and impact even more.

Solar Power Installation

I am drawn to watching the crew from SolaNugguts, which is in the final stages of installation. SolaNuggets, based in Kampala, Uganda, constructs affordable and efficient solar energy systems and is the group hired by GivePower to design and build this installation. They have brought their team to Buhoma for this project and have employed local men to assist in the construction. As they work, I watch a dream come true, materializing in real time. This solar power system is more extensive, more advanced, and better than I had imagined it could be.

I ask Steven, the chief engineer for the project, to take me on a brief tour of the system, and he begins by explaining everything that went into planning the location of the solar panels. The entire community center property was observed via drones for more than 24 hours so the team could learn which spaces receive the most sunlight during the day. Ride 4 a Woman’s needs and energy requirements were considered, along with any anticipated areas of growth. Even the road's proximity was a factor - typically, solar panels in the Southern Hemisphere will face North to maximize sunlight exposure. However, in this case, the panels were selected to face South. This was based on Buhoma’s proximity to the Equator and the location of the road. By facing South, the panels would avoid dust from passing cars without sacrificing much light exposure.

Three solar sheds have been placed and built to serve a dual purpose. While collecting power from sunlight, they can also provide carport shelter for visiting tourist vehicles. Two of the structures accommodate most standard-sized vehicles, and one was made taller to accommodate larger safari vehicles. Steven is happy to share that they have taken care not to remove any useful space when placing the solar sheds. Each structure includes twelve panels that can collect approximately 580 watts, meaning that each solar shed generates about 6.8 kilowatts of power, putting the total for the installation at about 21 kilowatts. The panels are made by Jinko, a tier-one, top-quality manufacturer.

Inside the shed-like building, now the “power room,” are three cabinets, one each for the controllers, inverters, and batteries. The controllers and inverters are manufactured by Victron, another top tier-one manufacturer, and are under a five-year warranty. This system has a capacity of thirty kilowatts, enough to handle the load of the entire Ride 4 a Woman facility and then some. The controllers have a monitoring platform that enables the system to communicate online with local engineers and a GivePower team of engineers in the U.S. This helps with any needed troubleshooting and allows fixes to happen in real time. The battery bank comprises the latest technology in lithium phosphate ion batteries, which can store thirty kilowatts of power. They are manufactured by BYD and are under warranty for ten years, expected to last many more.

It’s incredible to hear how proud Steven and his team are of the components and system they are installing here. Still, my most extraordinary moment is hearing how happy Denis is. He shows me the posts for the solar sheds; “Look at this steel they are using! This is such high-quality steel! You don’t find this in Uganda.” Denis tells me about how the giant truck rolled up to their community center with everything on it and how it amazed everyone when they realized the scope of this project. Denis and I sit together, admiring the installation as it is being constructed. “Look what you’ve done,” he says. “You can look here with your own eyes and see what you have accomplished. It is right here in front of you. You did this.”

By the Light of the Moon

It’s evening, and I am getting ready to go to dinner. The moon is beautiful and full, rising low on the horizon. I stop just outside of my room to pause and take some photos of it. As I photograph the moon, one of the independent solar-powered light poles comes on automatically as it becomes dusk, the first time it has lit up. I am so overwhelmed that I message the GivePower team my photo of the moon, along with the photo of the powered light shining. I want them to experience the beauty of this moment with me. I walk to dinner and see that the three lights are the center of Ride 4 a Woman’s complex are also lit. Activation is beginning, and it’s so bright and beautiful.

Gorilla Trekking and a Community Walk - 9/17/2024

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

I miss Shake Off on day two because I am going to Bwindi National Park first thing in the morning to go gorilla trekking. Upon arrival at the park, we are briefed on safety and assigned a gorilla family. I am doing a medium-length trek to see the Katwe family, which is comprised of two silverbacks, two females, and two children. One of the silverbacks in this family is the largest silverback in Bwindi. It’s a challenging but beautiful hike up the mountain and back, and we get to spend one hour with the gorillas.

Gorillas are the economic engine for the entire area surrounding Bwindi National Park, including Buhoma. Nearly 90% of Ride 4 a Woman’s income is attributed to tourism from gorilla trekking. Ride 4 a Woman has top-rated lodging and dining for tourists and has received a Travelers’ Choice Award from Trip Advisor. The women perform dances for tourists and have a table to sell their goods at the National Park office. Many of these tourists will also go on a “community walk,” where they will visit Ride 4 a Woman and have the opportunity to buy goods from their shop. In addition to this, Ride 4 a Woman crafts many of the goods utilized by other Ugandan hotels, camps, and resorts. For example, when we stayed at Ishasha Camp in Queen Elizabeth National Park, we learned that Ride 4 a Woman had supplied all of their napkins, pillows, baskets, and cushion covers. As leaders, Evelyn and Denis have developed a vast network for income; however, it all comes back to the tourism industry.

Community Walk in the Town of Buhoma

After my morning of gorilla trekking and a brief rest, Denis and Evelyn offer to take me and my mom on a walk around the community. We walk along the dirt paths through Buhoma and visit many of the surrounding areas' homes, shops, and markets.

Nestled within the banana and jackfruit trees are homes constructed with handmade bricks, held together with mud. Some of the homes have outhouses or animal shelters made from sticks; some do not. Everywhere we go, we are greeted enthusiastically. Adults smile at us, and children chase us, waving and shouting “Hello.” Everyone is warm and friendly. There are abundant gardens, and we see livestock, such as goats and cattle. The market is busy with people buying and selling goods like avocado, cassava, and charcoal. There are gatherings of men and groups of women enjoying social time together. Unfortunately, we also see evidence of alcohol abuse, walk through areas with deplorable living conditions, and notice that many of the children are wearing worn and tattered clothing. We see few senior citizens and are reminded of how prevalent malaria and other diseases are here and the toll this takes on life expectancy. We are fortunate to have this authentic experience, meeting many local residents and witnessing the goodness and hardships that this part of the world deals with daily.

It becomes beautifully apparent how profound Ride 4 a Woman’s effect is on this community. Women wave enthusiastically and walk to the road to greet Evelyn with a big smile. Adults and children embrace her warmly. We can notice a visible difference in how the women supported by Ride 4 a Woman carry themselves more confidently. We meet shop owners who began their business with a microloan from Ride 4 a Woman, and they are thriving. We witness Evelyn’s kindness and love as she connects with each woman. When I mention Evelyn’s reception to Denis, he jokingly calls her “the mayor.” The community walk shows us firsthand how Ride 4 a Woman is improving people’s lives. I am honored to walk with Evelyn and Denis, and I am so grateful for their profound effect on my life as well.

Celebration! - The Feast and Our Lighting Ceremony - 9/18/2024

I wake up knowing that this is the day we have worked towards for three years. Today is the Lighting Ceremony.

I begin my day watching the crew install the last solar panel on one of the sheds. It’s incredible to see these structures fully take shape with this advanced technology. I think about the celebration we have planned for later that day. People from all over the world will be tuning in live to watch as we activate the solar-powered system. I’ve been working with the GivePower team over the last couple of weeks to create a plan for the event, and now it is only hours away. However, the beautiful surprise is that none of us can wait. We begin celebrating as soon as we gather.

During this morning’s Shake Off, everyone is grateful that they will no longer have to pay the significant expense of fueling their generator. The selected speakers share their excitement about having more money and opportunities in the future, thanks to their new solar technology. Fuel has always been one of this charitable organization’s largest expenses. They run lighting, refrigeration, and equipment for multiple buildings on a generator that requires a constant supply of expensive fossil fuel. Switching their power supply to a new state-of-the-art, no-cost system fueled by the sun creates a windfall affecting everyone in this room.

Ride 4 a Woman can now allocate their fuel savings into critical local programming for education, training, investments, and more. Evace is one of the women whose life will be forever changed by this. Evace has lived most of her life in a home that is nearly falling down. The roof does not protect her family when it rains, and they don’t even have mats to sleep on; instead, they sleep directly on the dirt floor. Evace suffers from HIV/AIDS and has lost three children. As one of the original members of Ride 4 a Woman, she has worked hard and been a part of its growth over the years. Ride 4 a Woman recently invested in building her a new home. They purchased the materials and began the work, but needed more money to finish the project. The women can now buy more materials and complete her new home.

There are many stories like Evace’s of women who will benefit once Ride 4 a Woman can invest their utility money into bettering women's lives in their community. As we get closer to turning on the new solar power system, the possibilities are coming into focus. It is more than any of us had anticipated. We are realizing the significance of this installation's impact, and its incredible. We are all overjoyed.

It is because of our collective joy that we are unable to launch into the workday when Shake Off concludes. Instead, we spontaneously gather by the new solar sheds and break into song and dance. Each time one song ends, I am surprised when another one begins. We dance and dance. As the first tourists of the day arrive, they stop short as soon as they get out of their vehicles. They know they are witnessing something very special, even though they don’t know about our upcoming lighting ceremony or new solar power. They photograph us and take video, the joy spreading across their faces just to witness such a celebration.

Eventually, the dancing concludes, and we get to work. Today, that work is still a celebration as all of the women will participate in preparing a celebratory feast. A delivery of chickens arrives, signaling that today’s meal is extra special, as chicken is rarely available here. The entire community center is buzzing as the chickens are butchered and stewed, yams are mashed, rice is boiled, and millet is stirred into bread.

Our feast is so grand that it takes several hours to prepare. Eventually, at around 3:30, it’s ready, and we gather to eat. Blankets are spread out on the ground, stools are carried over from the workspace, and plates are lined up along tables with every spare inch of bench space seated. The hunger, the fellowship, the gratitude, and the celebratory spirit make me think of a Thanksgiving feast. Evelyn tells me that the people in this community are lucky to receive a meal this grand once a year, confirming what I could already sense by eating at the table with everyone. Today is a special occasion indeed.

After our feast, we all gather for the Lighting Ceremony under the newly built solar sheds in Ride 4 a Woman’s courtyard. Denis, Evelyn, the GivePower team, my mom, and I are here with all the women. It’s evening, and typically, the women would be home with their families by this time, but they have stayed late to witness this monumental moment meant for them. We begin by sharing how this project came together, and I introduce Evelyn and Denis. I am so proud to tell this story and so excited for everyone to meet these two and hear about their life’s work. As Denis details Ride 4 a Woman’s struggles with old generators and the non-functioning grid hydroelectricity, I hear how relieved he is to now have solar power. He knows that the money he saves will, in turn, help save lives. He no longer has to worry about paying fuel bills during the low season when tourism money is scarce. This is a magical day for him, creating a shift in his well-being and a new hope for the future. Evelyn is already looking to the future and understanding the significance of sharing free power with the Buhoma community.

As the sun sets and the sky darkens, we move into Ride 4 a Woman’s workshop. It’s so dark that you can barely see the room’s layout or our faces as we broadcast online. It is time to shine. It’s time to turn the lights on. Evelyn and all of the women begin the countdown. Evelyn shouts FIVE in her loudest voice and all of the women echo FIVE back to her. FOUR - FOUR. THREE - THREE. TWO - TWO. ONE - ONE. Then Evelyn shouts ZERO!!! The power switches on, lighting up the workshop like an airplane hanger. The entire room ERUPTS. We are all screaming, clapping, jumping up and down, squealing, laughing, and celebrating. It’s more fantastic than any New Year’s Eve or rocket launch.

We break out into dancing so joyous and lively, you would never believe we had been dancing all day. The women play song after song and we all keep dancing, leaping into the air, bouncing around the room. The volume of our celebration is so loud that it mutes the sound of our live broadcast. People watching on Zoom can no longer hear us. They can only see our joy and excitement. It’s all over our faces and it’s erupting in the room. Later, I would watch the recording and hear everyone online crying, overcome with emotion at the sight of it all.

We dance until we are exhausted and breathless. As those of us at the community center return our attention to the viewers online, we are overcome with gratitude. I am so happy to thank the many people who made this work possible. Safari Frank, Short North Rotary, First Congregational Church, the GoodLeap Impact Squad, and our top donors are given special thanks for making this all possible. Then, as I begin to thank the GivePower team, I am brought to tears. It’s incredible to me that we are here and that we blazed this trail together. GivePower took a risk and put faith in what some would call “a crazy idea.” Their organization and its people are brilliant, innovative, caring, and bold. It was an honor to work with them. As I cry, overwhelmed by gratitude, Evelyn is also brought to tears, watching her many years of struggle and hard work achieve a new milestone. We are sharing this moment. We have traveled this path together and can now soak in this incredible success.

The energy and emotion throughout this celebration are overwhelming, and it’s powerful that we are experiencing this together. The Lighting Ceremony brings home the greatness of what we have accomplished together. It becomes evident and heartfelt that we have changed and significantly improved many lives. Collectively, we have all contributed to making an impact that will grow in waves, encompassing more and more people as it becomes more powerful. We created power and empowered others. Everyone involved worked hard and put in the time, effort, and energy needed to make the change happen that we wanted to see. Every one of us could stand tall, knowing that we were essential to this project’s success. Yet, we all understood that none of us was standing alone. We had found each other. A group of us, daily shaking off anything holding us back or down. All of us were working to see the light within ourselves, each other, and the world. We all believed that more was possible and worked to make things better. Now, we were here and could see clearly that we had succeeded. The evidence was undeniable and shining brightly.

The power came on. We were the charge.