006: Beyond Borders: How Indiana Co-Ops Are Electrifying Rural Guatemala (with Mandy Barth - IEC)

Co-Op Heroes: Stories from Electric Utility Operators

In this inspiring episode of The Co-Op Heroes podcast, host Pablo Fuentes sits down with Mandy Barth, Vice President of Communication at Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC), to explore an extraordinary international mission that has been transforming lives for over a decade.

What began as a one-time project in 2012 to celebrate the UN's International Year of the Cooperative has evolved into Project Indiana—a sustained effort to bring electricity to remote Guatemalan villages that have never had power. Mandy shares how Indiana became the first state to send an all-state team on an international electrification project, working alongside NRECA International to light up communities in Guatemala's mountains.

Key Highlights:

• How 14-15 Indiana linemen have electrified more than 700 homes across multiple trips
• The profound impact on both Guatemalan families and Indiana utility workers
• Unique challenges of working in remote jungle locations with some 1,000-foot spans
• The cultural and logistical complexities of international utility work
• How they're helping villages form their own electric cooperatives
• Current efforts to solve power supply challenges through government advocacy

Ongoing Impact:

The project has brought electricity to families (including a woman in her 90s getting power for the first time), and it has also introduced the cooperative business model to Guatemala. The initiative continues to face challenges around connecting to the national power grid due to regulatory restrictions, making each project a complex balance of engineering, diplomacy, and community development.

Mandy explains how this work has transformed the Indiana linemen who participate, with many saying it changed their perspective on gratitude and family priorities. The episode showcases how electric cooperatives extend their mission of community service far beyond their traditional service territories.

For those interested in international development, cooperative business models, or utility infrastructure challenges, this episode demonstrates the powerful impact that skilled volunteers can have when they combine technical expertise with a mission to serve.

Learn more about Project Indiana at projectindiana.org