Empowering Refugee Communities: Ashden Announces £270,000 in Grants for Low-Carbon Innovations
On World Refugee Day, the climate solutions charity Ashden has unveiled a significant investment in the future of refugee communities across Africa. The organization has announced grants totaling £270,000 (US$365,000) to support 18 refugee-led social enterprises in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. These innovative initiatives are already making a tangible impact in their communities, driving economic development, and improving living standards in refugee settlements.
At the heart of this effort is the recognition of the critical role that refugee-led initiatives can play in addressing both climate change and energy poverty. As Isona Shibata, Ashden’s Head of International Programmes, emphasized, "This is a moment of global uncertainty, with the number of forcibly displaced people at a record high, and brutal aid cuts putting many millions at risk. So, it’s vital we accelerate refugee-led initiatives with a proven ability to tackle climate change as well as address energy poverty."
The grants, awarded under the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access programme, will enable these entrepreneurs to scale up their operations, increase production, offer new products, and reach new communities. This not only tackles energy poverty and grows local economies but also sparks the creation of new jobs for displaced people, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Among the projects set to benefit from this funding is Live in Green, based in Uganda’s Kyaka II Refugee Settlement. Founded by Solomon Bhaghabhonerano, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Live in Green transforms household and agricultural waste into cooking briquettes, providing a safer, cleaner cooking fuel for thousands of families and protecting the region’s trees from deforestation.
In Kenya, Okapi Green Energy will use its grant to expand the provision of solar energy systems to micro-enterprises in the Kakuma-Kalobeyi settlement, home to around 300,000 refugees. This will empower businesses to operate later into the evening, stock higher-value goods, and generate new revenues, fostering economic growth and stability.
Similarly, the South Sudanese Women Building Association in Uganda and the Muruqmal Energy & Electric Cooperative in Ethiopia’s Helaweyn refugee settlement will leverage their grants to introduce solar-powered grain milling services and replace polluting diesel power supplies with clean, reliable solar systems, respectively. These initiatives will reduce operating costs, promote clean energy solutions, and enhance the quality of life for refugees and host communities.
Ashden’s commitment to supporting refugee-led innovations is a beacon of hope in a world grappling with the challenges of displacement, climate change, and energy access. By empowering these entrepreneurs, Ashden is not only addressing immediate needs but also cultivating a more sustainable, equitable future for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. As the global community continues to navigate the complexities of refugee crises and environmental challenges, initiatives like these serve as a powerful reminder of the potential for innovation, resilience, and collective action to drive meaningful change.
