In a dimly-lit room, a young girl concentrates on her homework, as her younger brother holds a flaming torch nearby, illuminating the area.

It’s a scene played out almost every night in the village of Barejones, Guatemala.

With no electricity, families work by candlelight or torch completing tasks after dark, live with no running water and no refrigeration, campfires provide means for cooking, grains are ground by hand and the list goes on and on.

But that is fast changing. In October, Cimarron Electric Cooperative’s Zac Smith set out on a mission with 14 other linemen volunteers from the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC) to bring electricity to the rural farming community.

It was the seventh international electrification project in Central and South America sponsored by OAEC through its nonprofit organization Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation in conjunction with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) philanthropic arm, NRECA International.

“Bringing electricity to remote areas in developing countries takes electric cooperatives back to their roots,” said Chris Meyers, OAEC general manager.

“It reinforces our commitment to improve the quality of life for local communities at home and abroad. Access to electricity will bring economic empowerment, better access to health care and education and enhanced safety for these villagers. It’s a life-changing gift.”

Inspired by his coworkers’ testimony of their experience on previous electrification projects in Guatemala, Smith said, is what led him to want to volunteer his time and skills to provide to electricity to those who’ve never had that opportunity.

“They talked about it being a life-changing experience and they were definitely right about that,” Smith said.

“It hit home with all the things we take advantage of here.

“They’re ecstatic about just getting four lightbulbs and two outlets per house (in Barejones).”

Each day, Smith said, the team would drive about 45 minutes from their hotel to the village where they would break up into groups.

“Two guys would go ahead of us and begin wiring in the houses and the rest of us would hop on a pole and start climbing,” he said.

There are no bucket trucks or modern means to assist in completing the work, so it’s all done by physically climbing each pole…multiple times, Smith said.

“Every pole got climbed a minimum of three times,” he said.

“It wasn’t hard work, but it was a lot of work.”

In addition, he said, the team had constant assistance from those within the village as they helped string the wire for every pole.

“They would grab the wire and start walking up the mountains and valleys and I’m thankful they did because we might have broken a leg or two with the steep drop offs,” Smith commented.

“They did a lot of the hard work.”

In contrast to Oklahoma’s ever-changing weather, Smith said the climate was perfect with temperatures in the mid 70s and 80s and, having never been out of the U.S., he spoke of how beautiful the country was.

“It was a scenic view on every pole we were on,” he added.

Another aspect of the trip Smith said he thoroughly enjoyed was being able to interact with the children in the village, as well as the adults, though they usually had little time when they weren’t working.

Many of the linemen brought toys and each day the children would excitedly run out wanting to play, help and just watch, Smith said.

As an agricultural community, Smith said some of the staples grown in the village are corn, peppers and beans.

Each member of the community is extremely hard-working and resourceful, Smith said.

“Even the little kids as they got out of school went straight to the fields,” he added.

Everyone was very grateful for the work that was being done and were willing to help in any way possible, often providing treats to the crew as an expression of their gratitude, Smith said.

Access to electricity will benefit the entire community, and especially the younger generation, through new opportunities in education, better access to healthcare, increased production and basic every day enhancements to their quality of life, Smith noted.

Smith and the rest of the team had the opportunity to observe some of those benefits while visiting a nearby village that had received electricity through one of the previous projects carried out by volunteers of Oklahoma Energy Trails and NRECA International.

Computers, laptops and a lighted soccer field were just a few of the advancements Smith said he observed.

“You don’t understand how much the little things will impact them…things we don’t even think about,” Smith commented.

Over the three-week period, the team set 51 electrical poles with hardware, strung approximately five miles of line, installed three transformers and wired 19 homes and two elementary schools.

Each home was equipped with four lightbulbs, two switches and two outlets.

A second phase of the project will be completed by lineworkers from Ohio’s electric cooperatives in January increasing the total number of homes and other facilities with first-time access to electricity in the village.

The power lines will be an expansion of service to a local utility, Empresa Eléctrica Municipal de Jalapa (Municipal Electric Utility of Jalapa).

Before returning home, the team was honored with a ceremony in which the mayor awarded each member a certificate for their contribution. They also received a machete with a handcrafted sheath as a token of appreciation, which Smith said he will always treasure.

Smith has worked for Cimarron Electric for the past seven years and has 12 years in the trade.

He and his wife Jordan live in Kingfisher with their daughters Lili (16) and Emerson (9).

“Oklahoma Energy Trails is making a positive impact by bringing electricity to rural Guatemala, which boosts education, healthcare and economic development,” said Jeff Hyatt, Cimarron Electric Cooperative chief marketing officer.

“The program also offers valuable experience and fulfillment to Cimarron Electric employees.

“Their involvement in the project allows them to contribute to global development while enhancing their skills and making a meaningful impact in rural Guatemala.”

Working together is the cooperative way, Smith said, and it was a great experience to be a part of the project which will enhance the lives of the people of Barejones.

“It felt great being able to go do that and I would do it again in a heartbeat,” he said.