Life changed dramatically when the lights first came on in the small coastal community of Loltong, North Pentecost of Vanuatu. The arrival of electricity—reliable, clean, and community-managed—heralded a new beginning.

At the center of that story was Sevina Wilkins, a 27-year-old mother of three who became the Finance Officer of the Loltong Pico-Hydro Power Station. She has spent the last three years keeping the books balanced, bills paid, and the administrative system running smoothly. 

“Electricity is changing our lives,” Wilkins says. “It brings light, helps our children study, powers our shops and clinics. Now that we, the people, are learning how to run it ourselves—it means we are really in control of our future, and we have no excuse. I see people running their rice cookers and keep coming to buy more electricity and it´s when I realize that there is no way back.”

Past: Lighting Loltong’s Future

The Loltong mini-grid, launched in mid-2022, was more than an infrastructure project—it was a leap of faith in the power of local ownership. Built with an 8.8 kW pico-hydro and PV solar hybrid system, the initiative was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP, with co-financing from the Vanuatu Government through the Department of Energy’s BRANTV Project.

For Wilkins, the job wasn’t easy at first. “When I started, I didn’t have experience in managing accounts or understanding the technical side of electricity,” she recalls. “But I had a lot of support from my manager, Mr. Giorgio Temakon, and I learned everything step by step.”

From billing 106 households to handling payments and salaries, Wilkins grew into her role. “In the beginning, I used to feel shy because the work seemed too big for me,” she says. “Now, I can say I’m proud. I manage all the financial records and help ensure that our community continues to have light every day.”

Her determination helped make the Loltong project a model of community-driven energy management—and a potential blueprint for future renewable projects across Vanuatu.

But then she decided to challenge herself and come out of her comfort zone.

Present: Learning, Growing, and Leading

Three years later, the lessons from Loltong are being scaled up. Inspired by that success, the Vanuatu Green Transformation (VGET) Project - funded this time by the Government of Japan - is constructing three new pico-hydro systems in Waterfall, Melsisi, and Larimaat communities under the regional Pacific Green Transformation Project. Together, they will deliver 65 kW of renewable energy through a 30 km power distribution network, connecting over 700 households that will directly benefit over 3,700 people and improving the lives of thousands more. 

And Wilkins is once again at the heart of this transformation. This time—not behind a desk, but in a classroom. She is one of the 23 participants of the first-ever Certificate I in Electrotechnology (EEET10219) delivered by the Vanuatu Institute of Technology and hosted at Ranwadi College under the VGET Project, accredited by the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA). The 41-day training teaches practical skills in electrical safety, wiring, solar systems, mini hydro stations, troubleshooting, and digital tools—empowering community members to oversee their local renewable energy systems.

“There are four of us women in the course,” Wilkings says proudly. “This kind of activity might have been always seen as something for men. But now I know that women can also work with electricity. We can fix, we can maintain, and we can manage.”

Her motivation goes beyond personal growth. “As a finance officer, I often get technical questions from clients. Now I will be able to answer them and even support my colleague, John, who is the technician at our station,” she says.

Future: Empowering Women, Sustaining Energy

For Wilkins, this training is more than a personal achievement—it’s a symbol of how far her community has come, and a glimpse of the future Vanuatu is building: one where women take leadership in energy, where communities manage their systems confidently, and where clean power reaches every island and every community.

As the new mini-grids at Waterfall, Melsisi, and Larimaat rise, Wilkins’s journey stands as a powerful reminder that the success of energy projects lies not only in turbines and wires, but in people—especially community dwellers—who make them sustainable.

“I started as someone who only did the billing. Now I am learning how electricity actually works. Tomorrow, I will be part of helping other communities have what we already have in Loltong. That is what makes me proud. And I hope the new staff get administrative and accountability training so as not to struggle the way I did at the beginning,” she says. 

Sevina Wilkins’ story—from finance officer to future energy leader—mirrors the vision of the Vanuatu Green Transformation Project: combining infrastructure, capacity building, gender empowerment, and community engagement to ensure that every light that shines across Pentecost Island is powered not only by water and sunlight—but also by human potential.