By Roselinder Achieng Maima, Impact and Communications Manager,Solar Sister, Kenya
Great things happen when people come together — and sometimes, a single gathering sets off a chain of opportunities that reaches further than anyone could have imagined.
When Solar Sister Kenya hosted the 2024 Solar Sister Donor Week, ENERGIA and representatives from the Swedish Embassy joined a visit to ENERGIA-supported projects. That visit led to an invitation from the Swedish Embassy to participate in a partnership roundtable, which in turn opened the door to a collaboration opportunity with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in Marsabit, Kenya.
Located in northern Kenya, Marsabit is a remote county of vast landscapes, pastoralist communities, and unique natural beauty. Much of the region lies far from major infrastructure and services, making access to reliable energy a persistent challenge for many households. Marsabit is also home to Marsabit National Park, a forested oasis that rises from the surrounding drylands and is situated near the edge of the East African Rift.
Solar Sister and AWF have since launched a six-month project through which over 432 households in Marsabit will benefit from the distribution of Clean Cookstoves and Solar Home Systems. To increase income-generating pathways for women through the distribution and sale of clean energy cookstoves and solar lamps, Solar Sister has also identified, recruited, and is currently training and supporting women entrepreneurs from the 15 communities in the Mt. Kulal, Laisamis, and Hurri Hills regions of the greater Marsabit County.
Through this collaborative effort, the project is providing clean energy access to the target beneficiaries and supporting the development of sustainable businesses and economic growth in the community.
Marsabit still faces significant energy gaps characterized by low local electricity access, regulatory inconsistencies, and infrastructure bottlenecks. Through this collaborative effort, the project will provide clean energy access to the target beneficiaries and support the development of sustainable businesses and economic growth in the community. By working together, the Solar Sister-AWF partnership will create a lasting impact and improve the lives of people in Marsabit County.
“This support to the community means a lot, for its impact will be great. During the distribution, I met a number of people who had never interacted with solar lamps or cookstoves, as they had been using only wood for both lighting and cooking. I believe this is a great improvement in their livelihoods and a big opportunity to introduce the Clean Cooking and lighting business to the women here in Laisamis. This area is a real last-mile community, and I cannot wait to see the level of impact that will be created by Solar Sister and its partners in the larger Marsabit County,” said Gladwell Kwamboka, the Solar Sister Business Development Associate from Moyale.
