At Solar Sister, we’ve always believed that women’s entrepreneurship is not only about the immediate impact of a woman’s business, but about tomorrow’s opportunities. With the release of our first Alumni Impact Report, created in partnership with 60 Decibels with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), and 2X Global, we now have the data to show just how far that ripple goes.
Between April and May 2025, 60 Decibels conducted interviews with 474 Solar Sister alumni.. These are women who have not engaged with Solar Sister for at least 12 months, indicating that the impacts we observe are sustained and independent.
The results are powerful:
- Economic empowerment: 92% of alumni report current engagement in income-generating activities, and 65% launched new income-earning activities. Nearly half identify as the primary decision-maker for household finances.
- Skill transfer and growth: Alumni tell us that Solar Sister training in connected sales, financial management, and customer service has given them the confidence to diversify their businesses and mentor others.
- Quality of life: 9 in 10 alumni report improvements, citing food security, children’s education, and access to clean energy as tangible outcomes.
- Social empowerment: 80% say respect in their household increased, and 85% report improved social status in their communities.
These findings affirm Solar Sister’s model: investing in women at the last mile creates clean energy access, and, in addition, new businesses, stronger households, and more resilient communities. The report also surfaced important lessons on best practices and key drivers of change, including the power of training attendance, the importance of self-defined empowerment, and the outsized ripple effect when women launch additional businesses. We’ll be diving deeper into these insights over the coming months, starting with discussions at the ANDE Global Annual Conference.
We are proud of our alumni and grateful to the partners who make this impact possible. Their stories and successes remind us why women-powered clean energy entrepreneurship is such a powerful force for change.
Read the full Alumni Impact Report here: Alumni Insights Report_ Solar Sister_ August 2025