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Sustainable Development for All (SDFA), Kenya | 2016-2017

Image: Mwangabora lamps being distributed to women through community groups (Credit: SDFA Kenya)

Through the JSDF award, Sustainable Development For All (SDFA), Kenya will scale-up its Use Solar, Save Lives – Empowering Youth and Women Project, throughout 15 different villages in Kenya. The project aims to enable women and youth to develop vocational and entrepreneurship skills by providing access to clean energy through the use of locally designed and produced solar lanterns, and creating income generation activities from money that would otherwise be spent on kerosene.

By advancing the economic rights and autonomy of women and youth through clean energy practices, the unique model addresses multiple structural challenges including poverty, unemployment, energy, and skills development. With the JSDF grant, SDFA will set up a youth resource center that will provide vocational and business training to 300 youth (50% of whom are women) who have dropped out of school due to poverty. Participants of the training will learn how to make Mwangabora solar lamps in addition to other products.

Up to 3,500 women will be supplied with the Mwangabor a solar lamps made by the young participants of the program. SDFA will also provide women with training on financial literacy and micro-entrepreneurship, and work with them to set up 15 income generating ventures from money saved by no longer needing to purchase kerosene. Up to 40% of the seed capital needed for the income ventures will be provided by SDFA, who will also provide education and training to the women on the value of income generation activities and links to financial institutions to access additional financing and expand or even start their own businesses.

The project is expected to benefit 300 young people and 3,500 women by building vocational and business development skills, and enabling women to establish at least 15 economic ventures. Through the project, SDFA aims to provide 3,500 Mwangabora solar lamps to 3,500 households. This will also give at least 10,000 school-going children access to clean lighting for studying.