Solar Sister, LivelyHoods Kenya Collaborates to Provide Clean Energy to Millions of People in Sub-Saharan Africa

Solar Sister, Inc. and LivelyHoods Kenya have combined in a move that is projected to provide millions of individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa with economic opportunities and renewable energy.

Solar Sister’s operations in Nigeria and Tanzania will be combined with LivelyHoods’ network in Kenya, resulting in greater effect on the three most pressing concerns of our time: gender equity, climate justice, and energy access.

“This merger represents the kind of collaboration and unity of effort that it will take to address the world’s greatest challenges, such as job creation, economic empowerment, and access to clean and affordable energy, that both of our organizations have been working on for more than a decade,” says Tania Laden, Co-Founder and Executive Director of LivelyHoods.

Solar Sister and LivelyHoods provide life-changing renewable energy items to underprivileged households in Sub-Saharan Africa’s low-resource regions. Both groups have carved out leadership positions in their respective industries by utilizing market-based social entrepreneurship models that provide energy access, economic opportunity, and climate solutions. The two groups, which were founded in 2009 and 2011, respectively, have the same mission: to ensure that no one is left behind in the clean energy transition.

This collaboration confirms an unique technique that works across cultures and circumstances. Solar Sister’s drive to extend effect across Sub-Saharan Africa is being accelerated by its entry into the Kenyan market, which builds on the strength of its model of women entrepreneurs selling solar lights and clean cookstoves to family, friends, and neighbors.

“By bringing these two organizations together, we are taking a giant step forward in scaling up a proven energy access solution that promotes human well-being, increases equity, and helps people in Sub-Saharan Africa succeed,” said Katherine Lucey, Founder and CEO of Solar Sister. “Our purpose, vision, and values are all in sync, providing a strong foundation for our joint activities.” We bring a variety of geographic and market sector experience to the table, allowing us to expand in both size and strength. We are stronger as a team, which helps our consumers, communities, partners, and funders.”

This merger creates a climate solution that addresses the reality that over 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity and that over 700 million rely on dangerous fuels like firewood and charcoal for cooking. Smoke from cookstoves is responsible for 2.6 million premature deaths worldwide, as well as serious health disorders such as respiratory and visual difficulties. People are trapped in poverty due to a lack of access to power, which impacts all aspects of their lives. Energy poverty has numerous direct and indirect negative effects on the health, education, and incomes of women in particular, as well as off-grid communities in general—people in energy poverty use more expensive fuels such as kerosene lamps and firewood. People are healthier, children can study longer, and communities are more stable when more people have access to clean energy. The use of clean energy prevents harmful emissions, reduces deforestation, and climate change.