News from our work
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December 2024
Read in the current newsletter:
- The work of the Sendea Academy in Uganda to train solar technicians
- Our prize for Kenyan students for digital innovations in renewable energy supply
- The Energy Camp for selected East African energy start-ups
- The modified concept of solar villages
February 2025
Allamano School for mentally handicapped children in Kenya: From wood heating to solar hot water preparation
Given the health status of the children at the school, the use of hot water for bathing is crucial. For example, many of the children are unable to follow proper toileting protocols. Therefore, the constant availability of hot water is essential for improving the basic hygiene of the children and for the entire school community in general.
“The previously used firewood boiler was quite cumbersome and inefficient,” notes John, the school’s CEO. In order to heat enough water for the daily needs of over 100 children, firewood had to be constantly replenished, which posed a major problem in terms of procurement. Not to mention the constant attention required to maintain the fire. The new solar water heating system is therefore an important step forward.
October 2024
4th Startup|Energy Energy Camp with nine African energy startups
With our Startup|Energy initiative, we support young African energy startups, increase their visibility and promote job creation and innovation in an energy market that is largely dominated by non-African companies. We are supported by the EU program GET.invest, among others.
From 18 to 23 October, nine energy start-ups from four East African countries met for the 4th Energy Camp. They were selected from a total of almost 100 applications.
Find out more here…
September 2024
Winners of the Award for Digital Innovations in Clean Energy honored
Access to clean energy remains a major challenge and one of the top priorities of the government in Kenya. Digital innovations are becoming essential for optimization, monitoring, regulation and financing.
Startup|Energy invited innovators and spin-offs from Kenyan universities to participate in the Award for Digital Innovations in Clean Energy. Applications were received from a total of nine Kenyan universities. The four finalists presented their ideas in a pitch to an international jury on September 11, 2024.
The winners:
- 1st prize: Taka Points (KCA University): Technology for waste management through gamification of the waste management process
- 2nd prize: The Optimizer (Kenyatta University): An educational toolkit that takes a playful approach using board games and a mobile app to raise awareness of energy optimization techniques
- 3rd prize: Hydrobuddy (Kenyatta University): Smartphone application to bridge the gap between the potential of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the current market anxiety in the city.
The prize was sponsored by bwirkt!
September 2024
A new course for solar technicians begins in Uganda
10 participants started another six-week specialist course on solar technology at the beginning of September. The course, which has been offered by our partner Sendea Academy since 2018, is now held several times a year.
The course ends with a state-recognized certificate of completion, which makes the course particularly valuable for the participants. Two of the 10 participants are women.
August 2024
The Uganda Solar Energy Association has named the Sendea Academy as the best organization for training in Uganda.
“This is a clear recognition of our efforts to train and educate as many young solar technicians as possible. We will expand our training, especially for young women. We need as many as possible on board so that the pool of qualified solar installation technicians can be expanded,” said Loy Kyozaire, CEO of Sendea Association.
“Many hard-to-reach areas need well-trained technicians to ensure that the right equipment is procured, installed and maintained. People need to get something for the little money they spend on buying and owning solar.”
July 2024
New training course for solar technicians in Uganda
Seven men and four women are taking part in the newly launched training course in solar technology. The five-week course, run by the Sendea Academy in cooperation with the Nakawa Training Institute, ends with a state-recognized certificate for the participants.
With the course, which is financially supported by the Rivera Foundation, Sendea Academy is continuing its successful training activities: since it was founded in 2018, around 1,000 people have already attended the wide range of courses offered by Sendea Academy.
June 2024
Startup|Energy: Award announced for digital solutions for the energy transition
Following the boot camp for innovators from Kenyan and Ugandan universities in April 2024), the Solar Energy Foundation has announced an award for digital solutions in the field of renewable energies. Students, employees and spin-offs from all Kenyan universities can take part. The top three winners will receive a total of 450,000 KSH in prize money. The application deadline is July 19, 2024. More information here…
May 2024
Focus of the new newsletter:
- The installation of solar systems for the Allamano School in Kenya.
- The boot camp for innovators from universities in April 2024 in Nairobi.
April 2024
Clean Energy Bootcamp in Nairobi
You might think that there is hardly anything less exciting than innovative products and business ideas that come from a university environment: Too much theory, too little practical relevance. The 12 participants of Startup|Energy’s Clean Energy Bootcamp from April 10 to 15, 2024 in Nairobi proved otherwise.
The innovations range from the production of biogas through plastic recycling, services for organic farming and efficient cooking to a solar-powered atmospheric water collection system. Some ideas are already so far advanced that pilot projects are being carried out with large companies such as Kenya Airways.
Four universities have each selected three innovators for the boot camp:
- Kenyatta University (Kenya)
- Makerere University Business School (Uganda)
- Mount Kenya University (Kenya)
- University of Freiburg (Germany)
More information about the bootcamp.
March 2024
Installation of the solar system for the Allamano Special School for the mentally disabled completed
Allamano Special School, located 130 km north of the capital Nairobi, is a public institution and – like most public schools in rural areas of Kenya – is struggling with major financial difficulties. However, thanks to the far-sighted leadership of the Management Board, Allamano has initiated sustainability projects to ensure the facility’s continued operation. One of these is the plan to make the school’s power supply safer and cheaper by installing a solar system.
Thanks to a donation from the Mathilde-Eller-Schule in Munich – a special needs center with a focus on mental development – this plan can now become a reality. In addition to off-grid solar systems for classrooms and dormitories, the school also received a solar refrigerator to store food grown in its own garden for longer. The inauguration of the solar systems took place on March 15.
February 2024
Bachuma Hospital in Ethiopia has received a 68.4 kWp solar system
A major project was completed at the beginning of the year: the Bachuma Hospital in the West Omo Zone received a large solar system that now supplies significant parts of the hospital with energy. The project was responsibly coordinated and implemented by the Ethiopian Solar Energy Foundation in cooperation with the local solar company SunTransfer. Funding was provided by the NGO “Village Health Partnership” and the local government.
February 2024
Four more solar fridges installed in Kenyan health centers
The Kenyan Solar Energy Foundation, together with the Nairobi-based startup DropAccess, has installed four more solar fridges in rural health centers. The so-called “Vaccibox” provides refrigeration for medicines and vaccines and is also mobile. The locally developed and produced refrigerator has already been used by us several times – to the complete satisfaction of the health workers. Now these health centers have a new Vaccibox: Randhore Dispensary, Rapedhi Dispensary, ACK Clinic and Chamakowa Health Center (all Homa Bay County).
February 2024
12 innovative ideas for clean energy have been selected for the Startup|Energy Bootcamp
The Solar Energy Foundation has been supporting African startups in the field of decentralized renewable energies with the Startup|Energy program since 2019. A new offer is now aimed at an often neglected group of people: innovators from universities.
The 1st Clean Energy Bootcamp will bring together 12 innovators from four universities in Uganda, Kenya and Germany in April 2024 to further develop their CleanTech innovations in workshops. The twelve boot camp participants have now been selected by local juries from a large number of promising applications. These are the participating universities: Kenyatta University (Nairobi), Mount Kenya University (Thika), Makerere University Business School (Kampala) and the University of Freiburg (Germany).
December 2023
Visit to the Insinya health center (Kenya)
During my trip to Kenya in December 2023, I visited the health center in Isinya. It is located about 60 km south of the capital Nairobi. We have installed a mobile solar refrigerator in the health center that was developed by a Kenyan company: the so-called Vaccibox. The solar refrigerator has received numerous awards and has already been successfully used by us in several health centers. Four more vaccine boxes are currently on their way to Kenyan health centers.
December 2023
Completion of the program to support Kenyan small businesses
In Kenya, the first course of the “Solar Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Program” (SEEP) was completed on 8 December 2023. The program aims to train and provide ongoing support to small and micro enterprises specializing in solar clean energy products and services.
Micro-enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy – and not only in Kenya. They usually employ between 5 and 10 people. Nevertheless, the enormous entrepreneurial potential remains largely untapped, particularly due to a lack of basic information on company management (accounting, customer service, organization). Against this backdrop, the SEEP project aims to train SMEs operating in the clean energy sector and support them in managing their businesses.
The picture above shows two of the participants: Justa Kahindo (left) and Edwin Lukhale in their small solar store in Isinya. Picture below: Day of the certificate presentation
November 2023
Two successfully completed engineering studies
Denise Kajumba (left) and Patricia Namuddu, two graduates of our Ugandan solar engineering course in 2019, enrolled on a part-time engineering course at the time. We supported them with a scholarship that covered part of their tuition fees (Newsletter 1/2020). They have now successfully completed their studies. Congratulations to both of them!
September 2023
Two-day boot camp for young company founders
The two-day bootcamp is part of the Freelance Incubator Program in Uganda with the aim of taking the practical experiences of freelancers, discussing them with each other and developing solutions. In addition, there is a targeted transfer of information that expands the knowledge of the participants.
The bootcamp consists of interactive sessions and discussions on business planning, successful business principles, marketing, financial planning, credit management, leadership and product demonstration.
Solar microenterprise owners and their business coaches attended the event. Of the 9 participants, three were women.
September 2023
10 more solar technicians trained
Sendea Academy has completed another 5-week training program for solar technicians. The participants (including two women) received a certificate at the end of the course, which offers them good opportunities for finding work: This is because Sendea’s courses are state-recognized and the solar market in Uganda urgently needs professional technicians.
Some are considering starting their own solar craft and have opportunities to be supported through Sendea’s accelerator program.
August 2023
Kenyan “Solar Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Program” (SEEP) launched
The program aims to train and continuously support small and micro enterprises specializing in solar products and services in the clean energy sector.
Under the leadership of Gathu Kirubi, Director of the Kenyan Solar Energy Foundation and experienced solar entrepreneur, 43 participants (17 of whom are women) receive basic entrepreneurial training at two training locations. They then receive hands-on support in running their solar microenterprise over a few weeks.
July 2023
Another solar course completed in Uganda
The Sendea Academy has completed another course for freelance technicians. At the end of the course, which lasted several weeks, the 14 participants received a basic set of tools for their work in rural regions of Uganda. The course ends with a state examination that further enhances the Sendea Academy certificate.
June 2023
Newsletter about our work over the past few months
Supporting personal initiative and promoting entrepreneurship – these are the focal points of our work. Isolated aid projects usually help only temporarily. However, if they are embedded in a strategy to promote local solar companies, the sustainability of the projects is increased and, on the other hand, the creation of jobs in small and medium-sized enterprises is supported.
Therefore, we promote the engagement of young East Africans with a dual approach. Read more in our new newsletter.
April 2023
Solar fridges for five health stations
In a pilot project, the Solar Energy Foundation has installed five of the mobile solar fridges built in Kenya by the start-up Drop Access in health stations. With its product, the so-called VacciBox, Drop Access is also one of the African energy startups supported by our Startup|Energy initiative. Now Focus Online has also visited the company and its founder Norah Magero in Nairobi and published both an article and a film report.
March 2023
Innovative: 45kWp solar system inaugurated by Sendea member company
SolarNation Uganda, a member company of the solar cooperative Sendea, which we support, has installed a special solar system at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) near Kampala. The 45 kWp system is intended to provide a reliable power supply, because this was not guaranteed by the state power grid. State-of-the-art technology ensures optimal use of solar power: either the electricity is consumed directly or fed into a lithium battery as a reserve. There is also the option of feeding surplus solar power into the grid.
March 2023
First management course to start your own solar company
As part of the start-up program for solar technicians funded by the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ), ten participants have received the first two-week course in basic knowledge for starting their solar company. The group had previously successfully completed the solar technology training course at Sendea Academ,y and qualified for this advanced training as the best in their course.
The next step is to get their first solar products on a loan basis to start their solar business. Loans can be increased step by step upon successful repayment. In implementing their first steps as young entrepreneurs, they are supported by the members of the Sendea cooperative (all Ugandan solar companies) with practical experience.
March 2023
Sendea Academy trains 100 solar technicians for international aid project
Based on its training experience, Sendea Academy was commissioned to train 100 solar technicians in the operation and maintenance of PV solar systems for an international aid project in northern Uganda.
February 2023
Two new energy startups added to our accelerator program
Startup|Energy has added two more African energy startups to its program to support young companies: Electric mobility startup Kiri EV (Kenya) and Germark Holdings (Tanzania), a developer of solar-powered vending machines for bioethanol for clean cooking. In a first step, both startups receive several weeks of coaching from experienced entrepreneurs to improve and sharpen their business model. They then become a member of the Startup|Energy community as a Fellow.
January 2023
Uganda: Support in setting up a solarsmall business
Following their solar training through the SENDEA Academy, selected students receive several months of support in setting up their solar business.
After completing the six-month program, which consists of theoretical and practical elements, the participants will be able to run their solar small business independently and professionally. The program is sponsored by the Stiftung Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Baden-Württemberg.
Left: Doreen Nabwire (24) is one of the participants in this program. She runs a small store selling electronic parts in Kamuli Buwenge, northeast of the capital Kampala. She will also offer solar kits for light and cell phone charging in her store in the future.
November 2022
Another training course successfully completed
Sendea Uganda has once again completed a training course for solar technicians lasting several weeks. Seven participants were taught how to install, size and maintain off-grid solar systems over a total of five weeks. At the end there was a final examination with a state certificate.
October 2022
Energy Camp for African start-ups
As part of the Startup|Energy initiative, the 3rd Energy Camp took place in Kigali (Rwanda): A multi-day workshop in which African energy startups discuss and further develop their business model together with experienced coaches. At the end, a public presentation took place in front of about 60 participants. More here (english) …
September 2022
Two health stations in Kenya receive solar refrigerators
The ability to store medicines in a cool place is a prerequisite in rural health stations in order to be able to carry out vaccinations against malaria, yellow fever or COVID-19. Kenyan startup DropAccess has developed a multi-award winning mobile solar fridge. This is now being used in the Kiloh and Osarai health stations. Both stations are extremely remote and have had no way to store medications.
August 2022
Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation supports the Energy Camp Kigali
The next Energy Camp of our Startup|Energy initiative will take place in Kigali (Rwanda) from October 17-19. Nine African startups from five countries will receive intensive coaching from local entrepreneurs at this workshop. Finally, the startups present themselves to investors, project partners and manufacturers. Find out more about this public pitch event here.
Other partners are the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) and The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE).
August 2022
10 solar technicians complete training in Uganda
On 26 August, ten more solar technicians received their state-approved certificate of completion. You have successfully completed a five-week advanced training course at Sendea Academy. A total of 130 graduates have now completed this manufacturer-independent solar training program.
July 2022
Loy Kyozaire presents the work of Sendea Uganda in a video
The English-language video describes the work of the cooperative of local SOlar companies in Uganda, in particular the training and education work of Sendea Academy. Click here for the movie…
June 2022
Loy Kyozaire wins Climate Sector Leadership Award
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) award is presented to a woman in a leadership role or in a sector where a transformational change is taking place in relation to green growth and climate change. The award is a tribute to Loy Kyozaire’s work in setting up the SENDEA cooperative we initiated to promote local solar businesses in Uganda.
July 2022
Train-the-trainer course in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Solar Energy Foundation has developed a curriculum for a solar training course for solar trainers together with the German Solar Energy Society (DGS). The curriculum was recently approved by the state. The first 10 trainers have now already completed the course in July 2022, financed by donations from the German Solar Energy Foundation. The trainers will now pass on their knowledge to various Ethiopian handicraft schools (TVET) as part of their electrician training.
June 2022
Startup|Energy scholarship holder Norah Magero wins the 2022 Africa Prize of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Norah Magero, a participant in the Africa 2021 Energy Camp of our Startup|Energy initiative, wins the prize with the Vaccibox, a small, mobile, solar-powered refrigerator in which medicines such as vaccines can be safely stored and transported for use in vaccinations on site and in remote clinics. Magero is the first Kenyan to win the award in its eight-year history, and the second woman.
June 2022
New training courses in Uganda
The Sendea Academy in Uganda will be running three training courses for solar technicians (5 weeks each) and four further courses for freelancers until the end of August. The latter last a total of 6 weeks, divided into three blocks of 2 weeks each. For the first time, refugees from neighboring Congo are now being trained in solar technology.
May 2022
New member for the Ugandan solar cooperative SENDEA
SolarNation is the new member of SENDEA, the cooperative of local solar companies initiated by us. Founded by Stella Lunkuse in 2019, the solar company specializes in distributed solar. The company is now the seventh member of SENDEA.
Link to the membership page of SENDEA.
April 2022
Energy Camp for African start-ups in Nairobi
With the Startup|Energy initiative, we support African start-ups in the field of decentralized solar energy supply. For the 2nd Energy Camp, 78 startups from 16 African countries had applied. Five startups were selected to receive intensive coaching from local entrepreneurs over several weeks. At the final workshop in Nairobi (April 4-6), the business ideas were further developed.
Following the Energy Camp, we will continue to support the startups and carry out pilot projects with some of them. On May 24, the startups will introduce themselves in a webinar: Read more…
April 2022
Kenyan health station in Enkoireroi with solar refrigerator
Kasale Salepo has been a nurse at the Enkoireroi health station, around 70 kilometers southwest of the capital Nairobi, for a year. Since two weeks the station has a solar refrigerator, installed by the Solar Energy Foundation in Kenya. Kasale proudly shows us the vaccines that he can now store on site and with which he can reliably supply the population of the lonely Maasai region.
The Solar Energy Foundation has also installed solar light so that the treatment of the sick and pregnant women no longer has to be done in candlelight. Enkoireroi is one of more than 200 health stations worldwide that we have equipped with solar energy thanks to the support of donors.
In Kenya, another five health stations will receive a solar refrigerator financed by us in May 2022. The installation is carried out by our Kenyan partner company SunTransfer Ltd.
March 2022
Impressive: 62 solar technicians receive their certificates
It was an impressive experience: the Sendea Uganda ceremony at which 62 trained solar technicians received their final certificates. the Sendea cooperative, which we initiated, now owns one of the most renowned training facilities for solar energy in Uganda.
March 2022
A visit to the new solar village of Kinabi (Uganda)
100 households have had a basic supply of solar energy for a few weeks now: for light and to charge their cell phones. During a visit to the solar village, the foundation’s board of directors was able to see for themselves the great benefits that this means for everyone involved: on the one hand, finally clean and reliably available light for households, but then also jobs for solar technicians who take over maintenance and service. Some of these also come from the Kinabi solar village itself.
February 2022
Foundation board member Harald Schützeichel as a guest of Franz Alt
The topic of the program: Will Africa become the superpower of renewables? During the 45-minute program, the work of the Solar Energy Foundation was reported in detail.
Link to the interview
January 2022
New solar village of the Solar Energy Foundation in Uganda
Kinabi, in the east of the capital Kampala, is the newest solar village in Uganda. It was implemented by our partner organization Sendea and the local solar company Access to Solar. 100 households now have a basic supply of solar energy and a local solar craft provides maintenance and service. Link to Ugandan TV report (English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhDCraBsXt0
December 2021
Ethiopia: Sustainable solar energy for 240 health centers in Ethiopia
The Solar Energy Foundation Ethiopia and GREEN LAMP are working together on the sustainability of the installed solar suitcases for health centers in Ethiopia. Over 240 Solar Suit cases are installed in different parts of the country. The trained technicians of the Stiftung Solarenergie now ensure the permanent operation. Read more…
December 2021
Great demand for solar training for freelancers in Uganda
It is a unique offer that Sendea and DonBosco are making to freelance solar technicians in Uganda: Basic training in solar technology. Since the launch of the training program, demand from freelancers has been high. Now another course has been successfully completed. See the report (in English) from UBC Live.
October 2021
Completed: Solar milk cooling for a Maasai community in Kenya
Cooling milk using solar energy: a new pilot project that we will realize thanks to the support of Energiebauern GmbH. To improve their income, the Maasai community in Oloo Oishobor proposed to bypass the middlemen for the milk produced. For this purpose, the milk must first be collected and stored in a refrigeration plant before being transported to the market.
September 2021
Two more solar villages completed
Nsanvu and Ruhity are the two new solar villages of the Solar Energy Foundation in Uganda. Each of the approximately 500 inhabitants received a basic power supply with solar energy. The installation was carried out by local solar companies, which are also members of the Sendea cooperative initiated by us. They are also responsible for maintenance and service.
September 2021
Startup|Energy: Workshop for East African startups in Kampala
Five local startups presented their new products and services for the decentralized energy sector at the end of the East African Energy Camp, which lasted several months. The business ideas were discussed and further developed with international energy and financial experts. At the final competition, two startups received the Startup|Energy Award. The camp was part of the foundation initiative Startup|Energy.
More information …
August 2021
Solar Energy Foundation Ethiopia becomes a partner of UN DESA
The Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions is a partnership led by UN DESA and ITAIPU BINACIONAL to promote water and energy sustainability and other SDGs in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
July 2021
Stiftung Solarenergie receives EU support
The “Global Energy Transformation – GET.invest” program is financed by the Federal Republic of Germany and co-financed by the EU.
May 2021
The five finalists of Energy Camp East Africa have been announced
A total of 46 East African startups with products for the decentralized renewable energy market applied for Startup|Energy’s Energy Camp East Africa.
These five startups were selected from the applications to participate in the Energy Camp.
More information ...
April 2021
Two new solar villages being planned in Uganda
Thanks to the support of Glas Henrich GmbH, we can start preparing the implementation of two new solar villages. Solar villages is what we call our successful concept for village development: the basic solar supply for an entire village. A concept that has been realized in different variants since 2005.
March 2021
Sendea Uganda and DonBosco launch training program for solar freelancers in Uganda
In Uganda, many solar installations are carried out by freelancers who often have little knowledge of solar technology. The new freelancer program of Sendea and DonBosco wants to change that. For this purpose, a two-week basic training course is offered within the framework of the Sendea Academy, especially for freelancers.
More (in English) …
March 2021
Solar energy for rural hospital in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Solar Energy Foundation has completed a very special project with the support of the Maji Development Coalition (MDC): The solar electrification of the Rural Primary Hospital in Maji with a 33.6 kWp solar system.
More in the newsletter ...
March 2021
Startup|Energy Accelerator Program for East Africa
The registration deadline for the Energy Camp East Africa in Kampala runs from 1 March to 15 April. It is part of the accelerator program Startup|Energy, which was initiated by the Solar Energy Foundation together with the University of Freiburg.
More…
February 2021
New solar courses at the Sendea Academy
The Sendea Academy, a division of Sendea Uganda, has been successfully offering training courses in solar technology since 2018. These courses aim to reduce the skills gap in the solar industry in Uganda. In 2021, the Sendea Academy will offer four more courses, the dates of which have now been fixed.
More (in English)…