By Stephanie Bernaba

In the remote Guatemalan mountains along the Mexican border, nearly 200 homes around the village of Palmira were illuminated for the first time as lineworkers from Indiana’s electric cooperatives brought electricity — and hope — through their volunteer mission with Project Indiana.

The trip, which took place between January and February of this year — the team’s sixth since 2012 — brought electricity to communities that have never had access to it.

For the 22 crew members who made the journey, the experience could only be described as transformative.

“It was one of the best things I’ve felt I’ve done with my life so far as giving back to others,” said Paul Trenkamp, a first-time volunteer lineworker from Decatur County REMC. 

The scope of the project

The initiative’s crew leader, Joe Banfield, operations manager at Tipmont, now a three-time Project Indiana veteran, described the remarkable scale of the team’s achievements.

“We took our first trip to Guatemala in 2012. This last trip was probably one of my most rewarding and probably the hardest, just because of the terrain and the number of people we gave power to,” Banfield said.

What made the 2025 trip most remarkable to him was how greatly the team exceeded its established goals.

“When we first received the information, our goal was 70 homes and 30 poles,” said Banfield. “When we went over to complete the project engineering, the number jumped to 109 homes. By the end, we wound up electrifying 197 homes.”

A collaborative effort

The villagers’ enthusiastic involvement made this extraordinary achievement possible. Some helped place electric poles, while others learned how to install outlets and light fixtures so modifications could be made once the team returned home.

This spirit of collaboration and gratitude was evident throughout the team’s 18-day stay. 

Trenkamp marveled at villagers who walked 20 minutes just to return a dropped screw or piece of wire from a previously wired home. He noted that no villager would let any material go to waste, no matter how small.

“They tracked down where we were, walked 20 minutes over to us, just to hand us back that screw,” said Trenkamp. “That happened a half a dozen times. Despite having almost nothing, they’re some of the happiest people I’ve ever met. They all knew each other and helped one another — and us — without hesitation.”

More than just power lines

While bringing electricity was their mission, the Indiana crew found themselves forever changed by the villagers, especially one struggling family whose circumstances stirred them to extraordinary action.

“We ended up meeting a family that was basically orphaned kids, and the head of the household was a 6-year-old girl,” Trenkamp explained. 

“It hit me right at home, and I felt a lot of compassion for them. So, I made sure we would do something special for them.”

Their situation was grim. After their mother passed away, the oldest boy, around 13 or 14 years old, left home to work in the coffee fields to support his siblings.

“The oldest boy is out working in the coffee field, and the way it sounded, he doesn’t even come home,” Trenkamp said. 

Most heartbreaking was the burden placed on the 6-year-old girl who had been thrust into the role of household caretaker in her brother’s absence.

“The grandmother lives across the street,” he explained, “and she’s trying to teach the 6-year-old girl how to maintain a house, cook meals, and clean. She hasn’t even started school yet, and she already has responsibilities that are challenging for some adults.”

The lineworkers, moved by the family’s circumstances, pooled their resources to provide much-needed assistance.

Together, the lineworkers purchased a refrigerator, a gas stove, a table and chairs, and paid the family’s electric bill for a year. They also provided school supplies, including bookbags and uniforms.

Zach Albin, another lineworker from Heartland REMC, took time from his assigned duties to lend a hand.

“I chose to take a break from the line crew for one day so I could go make the table we got them, show them their fridge, and hand out their backpacks,” Albin said. “We wanted to watch them unpack and see all the stuff we got.”

“Being able to give back was amazing,” Trenkamp added. “It made me feel really good about what we were doing.”

The impact was particularly emotional for Albin, who has three young daughters at home.

“It was just rough,” he explained. “They were young — too young to live the way they did. It was a little difficult for me, especially because one looked similar to my middle child. It was difficult for me to fathom my child in that situation.”

Relationships beyond borders

The residents’ and lineworkers’ lives have become intertwined like the power lines now linking their village.

“Billy was a 10-year-old kid who showed up on day one or two,” Trenkamp said. “When we were wiring on the inside of the houses, you could drop a screw, and Billy would have it picked up before it hit the ground.”

Billy’s devotion and work ethic impressed the whole crew.

“He was really helpful — 10 years old and grown up beyond his years. I was glad to help give him some advantages for the future. Before we left, I gave him some of the tools I brought to Guatemala with me,” Trenkamp said.

The unexpected bond with Billy, who rapidly became the crew’s most devoted assistant, transcends distance and grows stronger by the day.

“Billy texts and calls about every single day,” Albin shared. “He sends me pictures, and I send him pictures of things back here. It’s just a lot of fun.”

A lasting impact on both sides

Amanda Barth, vice president of communication for Indiana Electric Cooperatives and executive director for Project Indiana, explained that Project Indiana is about more than electrification — it’s about building sustainable futures.

“We don’t just stop with electrifying a village and building the infrastructure. We try to help them create a better way of life, and we’re best able to do that by focusing our energies and continuing to support them,” Barth said.

Many lineworkers confessed the experience has enriched their worldviews.

“I did want to remind myself often how I take little things for granted, like filtered water and common amenities like air conditioning,” reflected Albin. “I sleep dry and warm every night, but some of those people did not sleep dry, and they were either too warm or freezing. I try not to take those small things for granted anymore.”

Crew leader Joe Banfield also noted a particularly touching moment the day he electrified a 105-year-old woman’s home.

“I was there when she first turned on her light switch. You’ve got to think back for a second — 105 years with no electricity. That is mind-boggling. She turned that light on for the first time, and she started bawling. She’s crying, she’s hugging me. It was very overwhelming.”

A community investment

Project Indiana transcends typical charity work — it’s a true partnership in which local communities actively shape their own futures alongside American volunteers.

Project Indiana thrives on partnerships — from Milwaukee Tools’ significant equipment donations to National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation’s (CFC) crucial financial backing — but
its invaluable work requires ongoing support to brighten Guatemala’s remote highlands.

“We’re not giving them a handout, we’re giving them a hand up, and they are working alongside our guys the entire time,” Barth emphasized. “We have people from that village working with our guys every step of the way because they are personally invested in this as well. They look forward to our trips and helping out the teams.”

For the lineworkers who volunteered their time, Project Indiana offers an opportunity to use their specialized skills to significantly improve the villagers’ lives. 

As Project Indiana continues its mission, the impact ripples far beyond the electrification of homes. 

“The companies and people that support Project Indiana,” Albin said, “I urge them to continue so we can do these trips. Our trip alone changed the lives of 200 families.”

Meet the Project Indiana team

Project crew

Jonah Brewer, Bartholomew County REMC

Bo Simpson, Clark County REMC

Collin Crabtree, Decatur County REMC

Paul Trenkamp, Decatur County REMC

Garret Berg, Dubois REC, Inc.

Steve Saltsgaver, Harrison REMC

Zach Albin, Heartland REMC

Kevin Bay, JCREMC

Kolbie Cox, Miami-Cass REMC

Brandon Bambusch, Orange County REMC

Terry Minic, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Jaylin Brown, RushShelby Energy

Cody Campbell, South Central Indiana REMC

Dakota Grimes, South Central Indiana REMC

Jimmy Applegate, Southern Indiana Power

Matt Bassett, Tipmont

Support staff

Robert White, Indiana Electric Cooperatives

Joe Banfield, Tipmont

Chris Todd, Northeastern REMC

Ron Holcomb, Tipmont

Eric Jung, Northeastern REMC

Joe Bower

Support Project Indiana

Project Indiana depends on corporate and individual supporters to accomplish its mission of empowering global communities one village at a time. To learn more about Project Indiana and donate to the program, visit projectindiana.org/support.