Electric cooperatives were born out of a mission to bring electricity to rural communities across our state. That mission continues and has grown beyond North Carolina.

This spring, Edgecombe-Martin County EMC will join a team of the state’s cooperatives to build electric infrastructure in rural Guatemala. This work, a part of the Brighter World Initiative, will power dozens of homes and additional buildings in the village of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer.

Sammy Clark will join a team of 15 volunteers representing eight of North Carolina electric cooperatives to construct the electrical infrastructure by hand, bringing power to the community for the first time. The volunteers will construct five kilometers of line to connect the village to the power grid. The volunteers will also individually connect more than 50 homes, along with a school, two churches and the region’s only health clinic.

“This project is a true demonstration of the cooperative spirit that defines who we are,” said Winston Howell, CEO of Edgecombe-Martin County EMC. “Bringing electricity to El Plan Nuevo Amanecer is about more than building power lines — it’s about creating opportunity, hope and connection. The impact will be life-changing for the families in the village, and I have no doubt it will leave a lasting impression on our volunteers as well. We are incredibly proud of Sammy and all those representing North Carolina’s electric cooperatives in this important work.”

El Plan Nuevo Amanecer is located in the Lachúa region of northern Guatemala, where most families rely on agriculture and day labor to support their households. Without access to electricity, residents cannot refrigerate food, power basic household appliances or use electric tools that would make daily tasks easier. This project will not only power the lives of the villagers, but also open the door to new opportunities for education, healthcare and economic growth. This project is one of many electrification projects coordinated through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) International Foundation.

Learn more about the Brighter World Initiative and read about a similar project the electric cooperatives completed in Bolivia in 2019 at www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/in-the-community/brighter-world/.