Empowering women to tackle energy poverty.
✍️ Olivia Orr
Energy poverty impacts roughly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. A further 340 million people are forced to depend on harmful fuels like firewood and charcoal for cooking, heating and other household activities. The most obvious negative effect of burning these “dirty” fuels is that they are highly polluting and environmentally damaging. Every year, almost 490,000 people die prematurely in sub-Saharan Africa due to household air pollution from the lack of clean cooking facilities.
Because they are predominantly in charge of household duties, women - and therefore also children - bear the brunt of the effects and are exposed to the most harm. The time that they are forced to spend gathering these fuels also limits their access to education and employment, further deepening gender and social inequalities. Women rarely experience leadership or entrepreneurship opportunities. This is particularly the case in the energy sector, where women are underrepresented, despite many risking their lives for it on a continual basis.
In short, the issues of underdevelopment, gender inequality and environmental damage are all intimately connected. Women’s livelihoods are at the heart of the issue - and therefore also at the heart of the solution!
| “…the issues of underdevelopment, gender inequality and environmental damage are all intimately connected. Women’s livelihoods are at the heart of the issue - and therefore also at the heart of the solution!”
Solar Sister is a grassroots movement founded to address these interconnected issues. The movement seeks to make energy more sustainable and equitable by democratising clean energy distribution and access throughout the continent.
The gender-focused approach that Solar Sister takes encourages and empowers female entrepreneurs to take centre stage in addressing this problem. Essentially, they help women - mostly in rural areas - to start and expand businesses that sell affordable clean energy items such as solar lamps and clean cooking stoves in their communities. In addition to providing the equipment to sell, they also offer an abundance of support, through training, mentorship, and community engagement.
Overall, Solar Sister has managed to develop a system that produces drastic positive effects both environmentally and socially. However, their impact is more than economic and environmental - it also gives women the opportunity to become leaders and community role models, an important step towards reducing gender inequalities going forward.
| “…gives women the opportunity to become leaders and community role models, an important step towards reducing gender inequalities going forward”.
Since they began their work, Solar Sister have empowered over 11,000 women to create, maintain and grow clean energy businesses in Africa, resulting in clean energy solutions for more than 3.5 million people in these areas.
The Solar Sister initiative not only reduces pollution-induced health risks within sub-Saharan Africa, but is also reducing the carbon emissions that these communities produce. Through their gender-focused approach, they have given African women the ability to earn an income, gain leadership skills, and to contribute to a better future, both through fewer health issues and a greener environment.
Most importantly, Solar Sister is proof that helping disadvantaged women is an effective way of maximising broader social and environmental impact.
