My name is Karelia Tercero. This is a short story about how I became the first female solar technician for GRID Alternatives in Nicaragua.
As of today, I am one of only four women in Nicaragua that has a Renewable Energy Engineering degree. When I was younger, I wanted to study international relations, but it wasn’t possible because that area of study was only offered at private universities in Managua, about 120 miles from Palacagüina where I grew up. I was only 16 at the time and my parents were afraid of sending me to study in a big city, so they asked me to choose another career from the public university near my house. I couldn’t think of what else I wanted to study. I knew I wanted to help other people, protect the environment and see the world from different points of view. In high school, I had heard about a new career called “Renewable Energy Engineering,” so I decided to learn more.
I was 17 years old when I began studying Renewable Energy Engineering at the university, and people asked me “Why did you choose that career?” or “I’ve never heard of that career before." I chose it because it focused on protecting natural resources, but it wasn’t until my second year at the university when I realized this was my true passion. I liked the experiments we did and the electronic equipment we used, and the idea of protecting the environment with new technologies.
Many times in the university I observed how the male students got to do the practical hands-on work while I had to watch and take notes to write the reports. One of the things that made me want to persevere was the feeling of being challenged when the majority of the male students would say things like “you can’t do that.” Their attitude when I learned to use a new tool was “using tools is not for women.” This frustrated me, but it made me want to continue to improve. My parents say “of all of four kids, Karelia has been the biggest risk taker.” My brothers live at home with my parents, yet I wasn’t afraid of living on my own to take advantage of opportunities to continue learning, and to open my mind to new things. I’m always ready to learn, no matter how difficult the job may be.
My first contact with GRID Alternatives was as a volunteer for an all-Nicaraguan-women solar installation in Nicaragua in January 2015 in the community of El Guaylo, Esteli. I had applied to be a volunteer a few months prior while I was still finishing my degree. This opportunity to volunteer was very special and happened at the perfect moment because I didn't know what I was doing after graduation. I knew that I should look for a job, but my biggest fear was that I didn’t have the practical hands-on experience necessary to apply the theory that I learned. Volunteering with GRID was an experience of many firsts. It was the first time I slept in a house of one of the families from the community we were working in, the first time I was a volunteer, and the first time I got to see a complete solar installation from start to finish where I got to participate.
Working in a team of only women was very enriching. We were a group of women of different ages sharing experiences from our life while installing a PV system on a school. I realized that I really enjoyed being in the rural communities, sharing with the community members, and making something beautiful with them while installing solar and helping the environment at the same time. It was here that I began my path after the university. During this project, Carla Estrada, Country Manager for GRID Alternatives Nicaragua, told us that there was an opening for an internship position in the GRID Masaya office. I applied for the position, and from April until October 2015 I was a solar intern with GRID in the Masaya office. I learned a lot and I’m very happy to have landed here. I’m so happy with everything new I’ve experienced and with having received the opportunity to continuing learning and studying with GRID.Today, I am no longer an intern with GRID--I’m happy to say that I am now a full-time Solar Technician working for GRID Alternatives in Nicaragua. Thank you, GRID for everything!