Over the past three years, ENERGIA has continued to demonstrate that when women are empowered as entrepreneurs, leaders and changemakers, they drive both economic growth and sustainable energy access. Across five countries, women-led enterprises are helping expand clean energy markets, strengthen community resilience, and advance climate justice. At the end of Year 3, the program has:
Driving Women’s Economic Empowerment and Resilience
Women entrepreneurs remain at the heart of ENERGIA’s approach. Through training, mentoring and support in access to finance, market linkages, and digital tools, the program is helping women build stronger businesses and gain greater economic independence.
Expanding Access to Finance
Access to finance is one of the biggest barriers facing women entrepreneurs. Through partnerships with banks, microfinance institutions, savings groups and suppliers, ENERGIA helped women unlock capital to invest in and grow their businesses.
Key results:
What this means:
More women can invest in inventory, purchase productive equipment, expand operations, and build resilience against economic shocks.
Growing Businesses, Growing Incomes
Women entrepreneurs are reporting strong business performance across all program countries.
Key results:
What this means:
Women are not only sustaining their businesses—they are creating employment opportunities, generating income, and strengthening local economies.
Shifting Decision-Making Power
Economic empowerment is also changing what happens inside households and communities.
Key results:
What this means:
Women are gaining greater agency, confidence and influence over decisions that affect their lives, businesses and futures.
Expanding Clean Energy Access
Women entrepreneurs are playing a critical role in bringing clean energy solutions to communities that are often underserved by traditional markets. They have extensive networks in their communities, they are more likely to be trusted by other women and as users themselves, they can share first-hand experiences.
Reaching Last-Mile Communities
Through women-led distribution networks and productive use of energy solutions, clean energy is reaching more households, businesses and communities.
Key results:
What this means:
Families are saving money, reducing harmful emissions, and gaining access to technologies that improve daily life and economic opportunity.
Powering Productive Use of Energy
The programme continued supporting women who use energy-powered solutions to increase productivity and incomes in sectors such as agriculture, food processing, retail and services.
Examples include:
What this means:
Energy is becoming a tool for income generation, business growth and climate resilience.
Turning Advocacy into Policy Action
Year 3 saw significant progress in ensuring that gender equality and climate considerations are embedded within energy policies and development planning.
Policy Influence and Adoption
Key achievements:
What this means:
Gender-responsive energy and climate policies are moving from recommendations to implementation.
Advancing Gender-Transformative Energy and Climate Action
Beyond individual projects and enterprises, ENERGIA works to transform systems and institutions.
Mainstreaming Gender in Programmes
Results through Year 3:
What this means:
Gender equality is becoming embedded within policies, organisations and programmes—not treated as an afterthought.
Thought Leadership, Partnerships and Global Reach
Knowledge sharing, partnerships and advocacy remain central to ENERGIA’s impact.
Amplifying Impact
Key results:
What this means:
Evidence, partnerships and advocacy are helping shape more inclusive energy transitions worldwide.
What Year 3 Tells Us
Year 3 demonstrates that investing in women’s leadership within energy and climate sectors delivers measurable results:
✅ More women are growing successful businesses and increasing their incomes
✅ More households and communities are accessing clean energy solutions
✅ More women are influencing decisions at household, community and policy levels
✅ More institutions are adopting gender-responsive approaches
✅ Stronger partnerships are accelerating long-term systems change
Looking Ahead
As our Phase 7 program enters its final year, we are building on a strong foundation of impact. Together with our core partners, we will continue to scale women-led clean energy enterprises, expand access to finance and markets, unlock productive use of energy opportunities, strengthen policy implementation, deepen digital inclusion, and grow strategic partnerships. By doing so, we are helping shape a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future—one where women are at the forefront of energy access and climate action.
