Focal area: Womens economic empowerment
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ECOWAS policy for gender mainstreaming in energy access
Countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), represented by the Ministries of Energy, validated on 4-5 June 2015 in Dakar, Senegal, the regional Policy to mainstream gender in all energy programmes, projects and initiatives implemented in the Member States, including large scale energy infrastructure projects and investments. Described as “revolutionary” by the…
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Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment
Design challenges are common to most program evaluations, but this is especially true for programs that measure women’s economic empowerment. This is because of the interdependence between women’s economic and social roles, which influences their business choices and returns to those businesses. For example, because women have significant family responsibilities, they may have different goals…
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The Benefits of Gender Balance in Climate Change Mitigation Investments and Sustainable Energy Initiatives
Cleaner fuels, improved efficiency and adoption of renewable energy technologies offer important possibilities for low-carbon economic development and reductions in overall greenhouse gas emissions. These possibilities are especially important for women in developing countries who currently play critical roles in supplying and managing traditional biomass fuels. The UN’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative is highlighting…
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Millicent Akinyi Dula: “I want to be the first woman to set-up a briquette production centre in my village”
Millicent Akinyi Dula, a mother of six, is an improved cook stoves and briquettes entrepreneur based in Rarieda town, Siaya County, Kenya. Alongside her clean energy business, she manages a small scale farm with dairy cows, maize, and local vegetables. When she lost her husband back in 1999, she was not sure whether she would…
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“It takes time to become successful but if you try, you definitely will one day”
Chini Maya Negi from Manikhel, Mahankal Rural Municipality, Lalitpur District is 45 years old and used to be a dedicated housewife. She struggled through the worst economic state of her family, caring for a paralyzed brother in law and a husband doing nothing. The family was facing difficulty in running the day to day…
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Ramila Rai: A successful journey towards self-empowerment in the agriculture sector
The journey out of poverty and towards equality is a though one in Nepal. The patriarchal society hinders women in taking stand-alone decisions and in pursuing income-generating opportunities. Although many gender norms and relations still need to be broken, positive signals are coming up with regards to women’s economic empowerment. Compared to a few years…
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Purnima Ghalan: From a small shop to a hotel business in Nepal
Living in Dalchoki, in Nepal, is already a challenge, but the barriers an entrepreneur like Purnima Ghalan faces go beyond the inaccessibility of this small nepali village. Due to cultural norms and gender roles, women in Nepal are often left behind in launching and growing small-scale businesses. Purnima, 40, is now a hotel owner…
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Do not let opportunity pass!
Mother of four, farmer, wife, and small business woman, Patricia Shayo is a determined and creative Tanzanian woman. When she’s not managing the household and raising four children – including twins! – she brings in extra cash by making nutritious sorghum flour to sell door to door. Patricia also farms a small plot of land…
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The entrepreneur who is making more nutritious drinks available thanks to the cooling power of the sun
Awa Sene is a shop owner in Khassid, a village of 751 inhabitants situated 18km from the town of Fatick in south west Senegal. In Khassid, as in many of the neighbouring villages, there is limited access to energy, creating a barrier to local development for small businesses and households, and restricting opportunities for economic…
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Lifelong learner and entrepreneurial spirit
When Onyinye Onye Ndimele heard about the opportunity to sell solar products, she was not convinced she would be able to make a business out of it. She works as a high school teacher and also sells toiletries like coconut oil and shea butter for extra income. “At the beginning, I was worried about how…
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The market gardening entrepreneur modernising rural agriculture, with the help of solar power
Thanks to its fertile soil, favourable climate and plentiful supply of water for irrigation, the small village of Lompoul Sur Mer in the Niayes area of north-west Senegal is an ideal location for market gardening. Practiced throughout the year, market gardening is the primary income source for many women in the village. Aïssata Ba, 45…
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Kenya’s clean cooking entrepreneurs are changing the energy sector: Herma and Asenath’s stories
Herma Okonjo and Asenath Onyango are energy entrepreneurs living in Kisumu County, Kenya. Herma runs an improved cookstoves business. She produces liners for Kenya Ceramic Jiko, Uhai and Upesi cookstoves and assembles them. Asenath owns an energy business in improved cook stoves, briquettes and solar products. Both women have come a long way since…