Since May 2024, India has been suffering from extreme heatwaves and rising temperatures. Many people rely on air conditioners and air coolers to cool down their homes; however, it also results in a hefty electricity bill, which is something not everyone can afford. 

"The heat was unbearable,"  said Radha to The Better India in an interview about their lives before the solution to cool down their homes. Radha lives in the Ignas Park slum of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. With temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius daily, many people like Radha have been tormented by the scorching heat and are in dire need of cooling down their homes. "With high temperatures come huge electricity bills. There is no respite,” she added. 

In June 2024, the temperature hiked to 42 degrees Celcius, the city has been suffering from dangerous heat waves. "Since our house is at the corner of the slum where it gets particularly warm, we did not know how to cool it down,” she said.

Many folks tried quick solutions like dampening the curtains or splashing water on the roof; however, these were temporary solutions that did not last long. Taking the matter into their own hands, the Mahila Housing Trust (MHT), an organization that works towards providing solutions to people in need, intervened.

Talking to The Better India, Radha said, “MHT representatives came to us and told us about the solar reflective white paint. We felt that it was a reasonable thing to do. After painting our roof white, we noticed a significant improvement in the temperature inside our house. It used to be unbearably hot, but now, it feels much more comfortable."

“While I am at work, my mother stays at home all day, and she also feels much better now,” she added. 

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