Twelve grants of up to £10,000 (local currency equivalent) are available for clean energy projects in displacement settings, with six in Uganda, three in Kenya, and three in Ethiopia.
The grants will be administered by Ashden, a climate solutions charity that promotes community-driven renewable energy solutions in the Global South and the United Kingdom.
Ashden’s new ‘Inclusive Investment Pilots’ will fund clean energy projects such as solar power, clean cooking technology, and productive use renewable energy solutions delivered by and for refugees and displaced people.
The work builds on Ashden’s Powering Refugees and Displaced People Award, which debuted in 2020.
Successful applicants, according to Ashden, will also receive technical and communications support as they develop their projects into revenue-generating energy delivery models.
Isona Shibata, Ashden’s Head of International Programmes and author of a report on Refugee-led Energy Access, says, “Ashden is pleased to expand our humanitarian energy access work with grants to earlier stage renewable energy and clean cooking projects led by and for refugees and displaced people.
“With 120 million people currently living in displacement settings worldwide—the vast majority of whom cook using firewood and charcoal and lack meaningful access to electricity—there is an urgent need for support and financial inclusion of refugee entrepreneurs and refugee-led organizations,” she continued.
“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.”
Going forward, Ashden is pleased to announce the Howden Foundation’s support 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, which is run by Ashden, Mercy Corps, and the UNITAR GPA Coordination Unit.
The Aurora Trust and UK AID are supporting the programme through the Transforming Energy Access platform.
The deadline for stage one applications is 17 March 2025.
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