GRID Alternatives along with the United Airlines team in Nicaragua to brought solar to a women-owned business in Catarina, Nicaragua.
Maria Eugenia Muños Guerrero is an entrepreneur in Catarina, Nicaragua who owns and operates a restaurant at the top of the hill, called the Mirador, that overlooks Laguna de Apoyo in Catarina, Nicaragua. Maria’s restaurant is called Restaurante Carolina and is surrounded by a beautiful viewpoint that overlooks the Laguna de Apoyo, a lake in the base of a volcanic crater. Her restaurant serves traditional Nicaraguan food and customers include people from Catarina, nearby towns, and international visitors. Nearby, there are stands selling handcrafted artisan items like wooden animals, leather keychains, and paintings along with local music played live on the steps of the Mirador. The tourist economy in Catarina provides a vital source of income and employment for local residents.
The United Airlines team in Nicaragua installed a 2.28kW grid-tied solar electric system on the roof of the restaurant together with the GRID Alternatives Nicaragua team. Solar will lower the restaurant’s electric bill, saving Maria Eugenia and her family money each month. The cost savings from solar will directly benefit Maria Eugenia’s family and the restaurant workers, allowing them to grow their businesses. Maria hopes to expand and improve her business and offer better benefits to the restaurant employees. Since solar is clean renewable energy, Restaurante Carolina’s solar system will be offsetting electricity from the grid that is powered by fossil fuels while saving the restaurant money.
Women-owned businesses in Nicaragua can provide a viable path to long-term economic development for women and their families. Having control over their income source can give women more freedom to make choices in their home and with their lives, make healthcare more affordable, break gender stereotypes, and improve their overall well being. Women business owners are leaders in their communities and are an example to other girls and women.
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