Claude Mazallon, Country President of Schneider Electric Philippines signing the Memorandum of Agreement
with Tony Meloto, the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Gawad Kalinga.

It has been over a year since Yolanda, internationally known as super typhoon Haiyan, unleashed its force on the residents of the Eastern Visayas and its surrounding areas. The monster of a storm had record breaking sustained winds clocking in at 230 kilometers per hour which effectively ripped the residents’ lives apart. Not only did the typhoons victim lose their houses, businesses and employment, but most horrendously, a great deal of them would never see their loved ones again.  The remaining residents now take up what’s left in order to rebuild.  However, despite their resilience and strength, they still need help and assistance in doing so. 

One of the most important needs to begin the process of rebuilding is restoring their access to energy. 

This is where Schneider Electric, the leading energy management specialist, and the Schneider Electric Foundation recently partnered with Gawad-Kalinga in their common vision to provide access to energy solutions to the affected areas in the Visayas and Palawan.

Through this partnership, Schneider Electric will provide individual solar home lighting systems for 3,000 households, as well as a microgrid solution which will give electrification intervention to sixty (60) Gawad Kalinga households. The project will also launch an electrical skills training program for selected individuals from Gawad Kalinga villages. 

Claude Mazallon, Country President of Schneider Electric Philippines said, “We are very pleased in this partnership with Gawad Kalinga because they share the same vision of not only providing access to energy to those who were marginalized by the typhoon.  We are both fully invested in empowering these households from this most important source.”

Tony Meloto, Founder and Chairman of Gawad Kalinga fully agrees. “We appreciate Schneider Electric as one of our true partners in a sustainable project that gives these Yolanda-stricken villages access to energy which is the foundation that truly empowers them on the path to rebuild.”

To find out more about Schneider Electric’s advocacy on access to energy, please visit www.schneider-electric.com

Tags: Poverty

Gawad Kalinga is not a charity, rather, it's an organization that aims to end poverty by building empowered and productive communities. This would not be possible without the partners who have journeyed with us in changing the lives of others. Like Schneider Electric, you too can be a hero to the poorest of the poor and partner with us in making sure that no one is left behind. Find out how you can help #endpoverty today. Walang Iwanan!​

About Schneider Electric

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in Utilities & Infrastructure, Industries & Machines Manufacturers, Non-residential Building, Data Centres & Networks and in Residential. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the Group's 150,000 plus employees achieved sales of 31 billion US dollars in 2013, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations make the most of their energy.
www.schneider-electric.com