I believe that making positive changes in the world cannot be done alone. We need communities and network of people to work together.
Salinee Hurley - Founder and CEO of SunSawang Company Limited
2024 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge Finalist, Asia-Pacific Region
In 2013, Salinee Hurley founded SunSawang, a social enterprise that brings solar-powered products and services to rural Thailand. Under Hurley’s leadership as CEO, SunSawang empowers local communities by hiring and training village technicians and salespeople to deliver and maintain solar products, thereby enhancing income opportunities and living conditions.
Professional Milestones and Leadership
Hurley’s story began with pursuing engineering despite familial opposition, driven by her early passion for the field since the age of fourteen. Hurley’s personality traits—persistence in seeking optimal solutions, viewing failure as a learning process, and leveraging her introverted nature for meaningful connections—have been instrumental in her success.
After obtaining a master’s degree in solar energy engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Salinee returned to Thailand to lead the Border Green Energy Team (BGET) as Director. Under her leadership, BGET provided renewable energy technology to underprivileged communities along the Thailand-Burma border.
Impact and Achievements of SunSawang
SunSawang has made significant strides in improving access to electricity for over 600 households and 50 schools and childcare centers in Thailand, and over 200 medical clinics and schools in Burma/Myanmar. The solar systems installed by SunSawang have extended lighting hours, improved safety, and enabled the use of electronic devices, which enhance education and access to information.
Commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
SunSawang advances the UN Sustainable Development Goals through its operations in five districts of Tak province, near the Thai-Burmese border. The company offers four types of home-use solar systems primarily to farmer households, with payment plans spanning 6 to 36 months, promoting greater access to clean energy (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy).
SunSawang also trains local villagers as technicians for solar system maintenance, creating jobs and boosting local economies (SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth). Additionally, SunSawang installs solar systems in medical clinics and schools across the Thai-Burmese border, aiding non-profits in running medical and vaccination programs. This ensures reliable electricity for medical equipment and vaccine storage (SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing).
Despite the challenges of rapidly evolving photovoltaic and battery storage technology, and the lack of recycling policies for renewable energy products in Thailand, SunSawang continues to thrive. The enterprise’s innovative approach to financing—offering affordable installment plans for solar systems—has ensured sustainability and scalability. Furthermore, Hurley’s leadership emphasizes gender inclusivity, with women holding majority ownership and key management positions in the company. (SDG 5: Gender Equality).
Salinee Hurley’s entrepreneurial journey is not just about providing renewable energy solutions; it’s about transforming lives and fostering sustainable development.
We need to empower individuals to become change makers…to drive the positive changes in the world.
By Grace Reiter, WE Empower Intern