A recent documentary on Public Television left a deep impression on me—and brought many healing ideas to thought. The film Solar Mamas profiled a group from India that chose a handful of poor, uneducated, and illiterate women from around the world to take part in a six-month class to learn how to create sustainable energy. The reason and hope for the class were twofold: one, enabling the women to bring solar light to their villages (which had no electricity); and two, allowing them to teach the technology to other women—creating income and raising the standard of living for everyone.
The film mostly focused on one Jordanian woman’s journey. Once chosen for the class, she had to gain permission from her husband who, along with other men from the village, was against her leaving. I learned from the film that so many in Jordan still hold to the belief that it’s a disgrace for a woman to get an education.
The husband also threatened to divorce her and take the children if she left the country to take the class. But with boldness and courage—despite the consequences it might have—the woman went forward with her plans.
