Clean Energy Opportunities for Refugees: Apply Now for £10,000 Grants.

Kampala, Uganda – A call has gone out to refugee-led clean energy enterprises in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia to apply for inclusive investment grants. The grants, worth up to £10,000 each (local currency equivalent), are aimed at supporting clean energy projects in displacement settings.

Ashden, a climate solutions charity, is administering the grants as part of its new ‘Inclusive Investment Pilots’ program. The program will support clean energy projects, such as solar power, clean cooking technology, and productive use renewable energy solutions, which are delivered by and serve refugees and displaced people.

Twelve grants are available, with six allocated to Uganda, three to Kenya, and three to Ethiopia. Successful applicants will also receive technical assistance and communications support to build their projects into revenue-generating energy delivery models.

According to Isona Shibata, Head of International Programmes at Ashden, “Ashden are pleased to expand our work on humanitarian energy access with grants to earlier stage renewable energy and clean cooking projects led by and for refugees and displaced people. There is an urgent need for support and financial inclusion of refugee entrepreneurs and refugee-led organisations.”

The grants are part of the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access program, which is supported by the Aurora Trust and UK AID (through the Transforming Energy Access platform). The program aims to accelerate the transition to clean energy in displacement settings, where millions of people rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking and have limited access to electricity.

Clare Ballantine, Head of the Howden Foundation, which is providing funding for six of the Inclusive Investment Pilots in Uganda and Kenya, said, “We are excited to be involved as funders of this programme, which directly supports individuals in displacement settings and the organisations assisting them. Our focus is on empowering communities to adapt to the challenges of extreme heat and drought, including through solutions like solar irrigation and cooling as a service.”

The call for applications is now open, and refugee-led projects in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia are encouraged to apply. The deadline for stage one applications is March 17, 2025.