The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) asserts that in order for the transition to produce maximum economic benefits, gender parity in the supply of renewable energy must be promoted.
This was said at the recent introduction of the study “Empowering Women in Clean Energy: Advancing and Retaining an Equitable Workforce” by Muhammad Wakil, the GEAPP Country Delivery Lead for Nigeria.
Given the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and the particular challenges to their livelihoods, health, and safety, he said GEAPP is actively involved in initiatives that empower women through profitable and sustainable renewable energy enterprises.
CARE Sierra Leone’s $2.5 million Solar Harnessed Entrepreneurs (SHE) pilot project, which was funded by GEAPP, is one of the notable examples, he stated.
More than 6,000 women in Sierra Leone are the target audience for this project, which offers them low-interest loans for solar-powered appliances.
With an emphasis on expanding market access to support the expansion of their enterprises, these women receive training in financial literacy and business management.
The initiative not only gives women the confidence to start their own businesses, but it also greatly enhances their quality of life, as seen by the stated 25% average rise in their earnings.
The SHE initiative makes sure that women are empowered by the shift to green energy and that this shift actually improves their lives.
As per his statement, GEAPP and Shortlist have partnered to introduce “Women for Green Jobs” (W4GJ), an initiative that seeks to assist more than 750 women in their pursuit of employment in clean energy.
He clarified that the program covers six Sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Malawi, and that its goal is to promote gender balance in clean energy workspaces and success on the job.
He noted that this program is in line with GEAPP’s dedication to assisting women-owned enterprises, which is demonstrated by SOLAD’s implementation of the Iponri Market Standalone Solar for Productive Use (SSPU).
“Women for Green Jobs” is a program that Shortlist, with cooperation from Value for Women, is implementing with funding from GEAPP. Its goal is to increase the number of African women who pursue and thrive in professions in clean energy.
With a focus on career assistance, job placements, and employer-level interventions, this all-encompassing initiative works with more than forty clean energy companies—including well-known brands like Husk Power, Nuru, Sistema.bio, and Sun King—to address issues related to equitable hiring and foster their expansion.