View source for Strengthen Women’s Capacity to Participate in and Benefit From Energy Markets

= Introduction =
Within ENERGIA’s [http://www.energia.org/what-we-do/womens-economic-empowerment/ Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme], [http://practicalaction.org/east-africa Practical Action Eastern Africa]  and  [http://scode.co.ke Sustainable Community Development Services]  (SCODE) are implementing Women in Energy Enterprises in Kenya (WEE-K) project to build and expand businesses in three renewable energy markets: improved cookstoves, solar products, and biomass briquettes.

The overall objective is to strengthen women's capacity to effectively participate in and benefit from energy markets. The project uses an enterprise development model to empower women economically and provides tailor-made support to women entrepreneurs in market assessment. It also seeks to expand and strengthen entrepreneurial associations for business owners to provide additional support.


== Margaret Kariuki: A New Briquette Entrepreneur ==

[[File:Women Producing Charcoal Briquettes in Kenya.jpg|left|500px|alt=Women Producing Charcoal Briquettes in Kenya.jpg]]A single mother of three, Margaret Kariuki used to sell milk to earn a living in Lanet Umoja in Nakuru county of Kenya. Now she runs a successful briquette business, thanks to training and mentorship from Practical Action. When Ms. Kariuki started her business, she did so without a business plan. She understood basic concepts about bookkeeping, though product promotion and marketing were entirely new to her.


“I started with a capital of 200 shillings (approximately USD 2.00) and I was able to produce 90 kilograms of briquettes”, Ms. Kariuki told us. “Even so, I did not reach positive cash flow until Practical Action sent mentors who provided technical and business skills training. They advised me on good marketing approaches, and how to ensure a minimum quality standard for my briquettes.”


One of her greatest challenges was convincing people to use briquettes; many people in Lanet were used to charcoal, and were not willing to try out the new product. Ms. Kariuki applied some of the strategies she learned during her training, and began providing target customers with free samples.


“After about one month, I began receiving positive feedback from customers, and my sales doubled!” Ms. Kariuki said. “The training I received from Practical Action, and specifically the guidance I received from mentors, was really helpful in growing my business. Their support has made a big difference in my financial life.”


== Reaching Over 350,000 with Clean Energy Technologies ==

Ms. Kariuki is one of the many WEE-K project success stories. Before it is completed, the [http://www.energia.org/what-we-do/practical-action/ project]  aims to reach 730 small-scale women energy entrepreneurs (MSEs), who will in turn reach 364,200 beneficiaries, including women, men, children, and institutions in need. The entrepreneurs will provide their communities with cleaner energy technologies and options, and contribute to environmental preservation in the project areas. In addition, as their businesses grow, an additional 450 men and women will be employed by the women entrepreneurs in rural and peri-urban areas across seven counties in the country. So far, 603 women have been recruited under the WEE-K project and are receiving technology and business mentorship. Each entrepreneur is linked to a technology mentor and a business mentor to heighten the potential of success.


In addition, Practical Action and SCODE also lobby for adoption of women’s economic empowerment approaches to deliver new targets for universal modern energy access nationally, regionally and internationally. Specifically, they work with the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum in Kenya to ensure gender and decentralized energy systems remain central to Kenya’s SE4All Action Plans. They are working with ENERGIA-Kenya CSO partners, the government, donors, private sector and the media to mainstream gender in regional and national energy plans and investments. Finally, through their national gender and energy outreach campaign, they aim to reach 2 million people. Through all of this, they hope to ensure that energy advocates include gender-aware approaches to their energy access projects.


= Further Information =
*[[Portal:Impacts| Impact portal on energypedia]]
*[[:Category:Gender| Articles on energy and gender]]

= Reference =
'''[http://www.energia.org/ ENERGIA]''' is an international network of like-minded organisations and professionals, active in 22 countries in Asia and Africa. Our vision is that women and men have equal and equitable access to   and   control   over   sustainable energy   services   as   an   essential   human   right   to development.   To achieve this, we:  
*<span dir="LTR"></span>contribute   to   energy   access   for   all   by   scaling   up   the   delivery   of   energy   services   through women-led micro- and small businesses,  
*<span dir="LTR"></span>advocate   for   and   provide   technical   support   to   mainstream   gender   approaches in   energy policies and programmes,  
*<span dir="LTR"></span>provide the evidence base for improving energy investment effectiveness through research,
*<span dir="LTR"></span>raise   awareness   and   enhance   knowledge   of   issues   related   to   gender   and   energy   through networking and knowledge products.  

ENERGIA International Secretariat is hosted by Hivos, people unlimited

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[[Category:Gender]]
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