Data and sector coordination is vital as we seek to maintain essential energy services to low income consumers across Africa and Asia. Shell Foundation partner Odyssey, who we have supported since 2017 with co-funding from the UK government and USAID, have been working to utilise their online platform to provide the mini-grid sector with project…
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets are critical to driving economic growth, creating jobs and working toward the Sustainable Development Goals, contributing up to 60% of employment and 40% of national income. These SMEs face a significant financing gap, which is at risk of widening during the current Covid-19 crisis. Increasing access…
Household energy remains an unquestionable basic need, and the ability to provide a reliable, affordable service is being tested by the current Covid-19 crisis. Bboxx is an established solar provider that designs, manufactures, distributes, and finances solar energy systems to provide solar electricity to communities, cities and countries around the world. Shell Foundation, with co-funding…
As countries around the world race to prevent and mitigate the effects of Covid-19, data on populations such as their health characteristics, livelihoods and location may prove to be invaluable for response efforts. SF partner Fraym’s data on population characteristics is really useful for mapping likely risk of Covid-19 in Africa and elsewhere. The data also…
Three Shell Foundation partners have pledged their support to a Covid-19 relief initiative across Kenya. The mission-driven alliance, ‘Safe Hands Kenya’ has mobilised the collaboration of tech firms, input suppliers, manufactures, behaviour change experts and distribution specialists, to ensure that every Kenyan has access to vital health products, including hand sanitiser, soap, face masks and surface…
Evidence has shown that safeguarding risks dramatically increase during an epidemic. During the current period of uncertainty caused by Covid-19, it is vital that our partners are mindful of these increased risks and are equipped to prevent or deal with any incidents should they arise. We are supporting all our partners in ensuring safeguarding remains…
SF and UK Government partner CreditEnable, have come up with several new initiatives to support SMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic. SMEs in emerging markets are particularly vulnerable due to their often having little credit history, collateral or track record, and relying on capital from the informal sector. CreditEnable, which uses a global technology platform to…
Redavia’s Covid-19 Resilience Lease is providing free solar to businesses in Ghana and Kenya. Reliable, cost-effective, and clean solar power remains a vital necessity for businesses, especially during this difficult time of economic uncertainty. Redavia, who we supported between 2014-2019 with co-funding from the UK government, designs, manufactures, deploys and maintains mobile solar farms, enabling…
SF partner GroFin in the SME sector recently released its 2019 Annual Report. In 2019, GroFin invested in 25 new businesses by deploying US$21m of growth capital to increase the number of jobs they have helped to sustain since inception to 89,450 and the Report provides an overview of the following: How GroFin uses different…
Koen Peters, executive director of the Global Off-grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) has written a blog on the GOGLA website detailing how they are addressing the Covid-19 pandemic for its 180+ members. “We concentrated first on understanding the size and nature of the impact, and what kind of help is needed,” said Koen. “Companies are seriously…