Twelve grants are available for up to £10,000 each (local currency equivalent) – 6 in Uganda, 3 in Kenya and 3 in Ethiopia to implement clean energy projects in displacement settings.
The grants will be administered by Ashden – a climate solutions charity which supports community-led renewable energy solutions in the Global South and the UK.
Ashden’s new ‘Inclusive Investment Pilots’ 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. The work builds on Ashden’s Powering Refugees and Displaced People Award which was launched in 2020.
Successful applicants will also receive technical assistance and communications support to build their projects into revenue generating energy delivery models.
Isona Shibata, Head of International Programmes at Ashden and author of a report on Refugee-led Energy Access, says: “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.
“With 120 million people now living in displacement settings around the world – the vast majority of whom are reliant on firewood and charcoal for cooking and have no meaningful access to electricity – there is an urgent need for support and financial inclusion of refugee entrepreneurs and refugee-led organisations. These individuals should be front and centre of efforts to deliver clean energy in their communities, but to date, they have not been able to access the financial support or technical expertise that is needed to drive this just transition.”
Ashden is delighted to announce the support of the Howden Foundation for this two-year project. The Howden Foundation, the corporate foundation of global insurance group, Howden, are providing funding to support six Inclusive Investment Pilots in both Kenya and Uganda.
Clare Ballantine, Head of Howden Foundation, says, “We are excited to be involved as funders of this programme, the first of its kind, 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. By focusing on refugee-led initiatives, we aim to foster community-driven solutions that enhance resilience and address the growing risks of climate change.”
This work is part of the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access programme, run by Ashden, Mercy Corps, and UNITAR GPA Co-ordination Unit. The programme is supported by the Aurora Trust and UK AID (through the Transforming Energy Access platform).
The call for applications for refugee-led projects is open now and can be viewed here: THEA-IIP-apply – Ashden. The deadline for stage one applications is 17 March 2025.
