Lighting a New Path

For the first time, the lights are on in La Montanita de la Virgen, Guatemala. Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives – in partnership with Colorado’s electric cooperatives and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s philanthropic arm, NRECA International – brought first-time electricity to the isolated village in the region of Jalapa, east of Guatemala City. 

Sixteen volunteer linemen, including Brad Hunter and Matthew Caldwell with OEC, spent three weeks at the project site building powerlines and wiring 84 structures, including one elementary school and two churches. The project consisted of 77 poles in approximately 5.5 miles of line and six transformers installed by the linemen. Each home received four lightbulbs, two light switches and two electrical outlets. 

The local partner for this project is the Empresa Eléctrica Municipal de San Pedro Pinula, a municipal utility, now responsible for the maintance of the newly built infrastructure. The predominant fuel source in Guatemala is hydro generation. 

The locals live in extreme poverty conditions without running water, plumbing and food refrigeration. The villagers depend on farming operations for economic sustainment; they produce corn, beans, rice, coffee, potatoes, pepper, tomatoes and onions.

Hunter said he was positively impacted by this mission and came home with a changed outlook on life. 

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it truly humbled me,” Hunter said. “It was a privilege to use the linework trade to make a positive difference in the lives of the people of La Montanita. Their simplicity, joy and friendship were truly a gift.”

The staff and board of directors at OEC supported Hunter and Caldwell’s participation in the project.