Bob Freling has been the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) since 1997. Its mission is to design, fund, and implement solar energy solutions to benefit those in poor communities without access to the electricity grid, helping others to overcome energy poverty. SELF provides energy access in the developing world and has an impressive track record of providing more than 750 solar systems in over 20 countries.

Bob Freling was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and was educated at Yale University where he earned his degree in Russian Studies. He has an intense appreciation of linguistics having studied Spanish, French, Russian, and Mandarin. After colleage, and when on assignment in Taiwan, he joined the antinuclear movement, and came upon clean solar energy and SELF. He never looked back, realizing the life-changing value of solar in the developing world.

Bob discusses SELF's evolution from providing small household, 50-watt solar solutions -- which powered a few lights and a radio -- to the "whole village development model" which provides a broader spectrum of benefits including community water pumping, power for health clinics, streetlighting, and microenterprise centers. One memorable project was in the Valley of a Thousand Hills in South Africa. There, SELF installed a satellite dish and 2.4 kW solar array that powered a school which received 20 personal computers donated by Dell Computers. All of a sudden, that community had access not only to energy but to "the universe of information." Another project was in the African country of Benin where SELF supported water pumping and drip irrigation, and hydroponics, fostering solar market gardens run by women's farming cooperatives.

Recently SELF has been promoting new forms of agriculture in Masai villages in Kenya... using water most judiciously and effectively. SELF is also focused on e-cooking using advanced electric cooking devices. Bob discusses the great value of the sun in supporting the energy-water-food nexus and is thankful for the support SELF has received from foundations, philanthropists, corporations, and international aid agencies.

For his dedication and important works, Bob was honored to receive the King Hussein Leadership Award which was presented to him by Jordan's Queen Noor. For more information and to support SELF, please visit www.SELF.org.