How SunFunder and IKEA Foundation are energising families in rural communities

March 24, 2019

The IKEA Foundation is happy to award a grant to SunFunder to help 6 million people across east and west Africa and India get to access renewable energy.

SunFunder provides loans for solar energy companies that serve people and businesses in rural areas. By offering loans to emerging solar energy companies that struggle to raise the investment they need, SunFunder will reach people living in off-grid and weak-grid communities.

Since 2012, SunFunder has provided loans to innovative solar companies that distribute last-mile solar products and services. Five million people now have better access to renewable energy thanks to SunFunder’s financing—and our grant will help them reach another 6 million people.

Power to support a family

Fatuma lives in Kamuli, a rural town in eastern Uganda. Her husband purchased a 50W solar system from SolarNow, one of the many innovative solar companies supported by SunFunder. This helped Fatuma and her husband light their home at night, instead of using kerosene lamps.

However, soon after purchasing the solar system, Fatuma’s husband fell ill and could no longer support the family. The responsibility to earn a living fell on Fatuma. She decided to upgrade their 50W household system to a 150W small business solution, so she could start her own business. Through this, she earned 10,000-15,000 Ugandan shillings a day (around $3-5), enabling her to support her family for seven months while her husband was recovering. She also saved a little money for the future.

Fatuma says: “I bought a SolarNow system so that I can financially sustain my family. I charge 20-30 phones a day, run a small barbershop, operate a small cinema hall, and offer computer lessons all on the same system. I can generate income from my SolarNow system to maintain my family and pay school fees for my children. I am very proud of my solar system and my clients are very happy.”

Better opportunities

The solar systems installed by companies like Solar Now have significant impact. Children have light to do their homework by at night and households are no longer reliant on toxic and dangerous kerosene, improving health, safety and air quality. These companies also promote gender equality in their hiring processes and in the local communities where they operate, providing women with employment opportunities and enhancing their economic empowerment.

SolarNow has been a customer of SunFunder since 2014. It is a for-profit social business which sells and installs modular solar systems and appliances for households and businesses in east Africa. It provides last-mile distribution, financing and after-sales servicing to its clients.

Jolanda van Ginkel, Programme Manager for Renewable Energy at the IKEA Foundation, adds: ‘We are happy to support our partner SunFunder with a grant because we believe that helping women like Fatuma access renewable energy will enable them to afford a better everyday life for their families, while also protecting the planet.’

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SunFunder
https://www.sunfunder.com/

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👆Here’s what it’s like to learn about climate solutions firsthand. Last month, 37 IKEA Foundation ambassadors from 10 countries came together in Indonesia to meet leaders working on the country’s net zero transition and learn straight from the organisations making it happen. 🌏 We held black soldier fly larvae, heard stories about fishing boats now running quietly on electricity, asked key questions about switching to electric vehicles, and took an electric bus to a village where solar panels on the market roof are already saving money and cutting emissions. One thing is clear: solutions are already out there. They’re led by local communities and ready to grow. Thank you to our partner @viriyaenb for making these connections possible and introducing us to @iesr.id, @magifarm.id, @newenergynexus, and @wriindonesia. We appreciate your openness, generosity, and leadership. 💬 To everyone who joined us in Indonesia, what moments stood out to you? #climateaction #ikeafoundation
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👆Here’s what it’s like to learn about climate solutions firsthand. Last month, 37 IKEA Foundation ambassadors from 10 countries came together in Indonesia to meet leaders working on the country’s net zero transition and learn straight from the organisations making it happen. 🌏 We held black soldier fly larvae, heard stories about fishing boats now running quietly on electricity, asked key questions about switching to electric vehicles, and took an electric bus to a village where solar panels on the market roof are already saving money and cutting emissions. One thing is clear: solutions are already out there. They’re led by local communities and ready to grow. Thank you to our partner @viriyaenb for making these connections possible and introducing us to @iesr.id, @magifarm.id, @newenergynexus, and @wriindonesia. We appreciate your openness, generosity, and leadership. 💬 To everyone who joined us in Indonesia, what moments stood out to you? #climateaction #ikeafoundation
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👆Here’s what it’s like to learn about climate solutions firsthand. Last month, 37 IKEA Foundation ambassadors from 10 countries came together in Indonesia to meet leaders working on the country’s net zero transition and learn straight from the organisations making it happen. 🌏 We held black soldier fly larvae, heard stories about fishing boats now running quietly on electricity, asked key questions about switching to electric vehicles, and took an electric bus to a village where solar panels on the market roof are already saving money and cutting emissions. One thing is clear: solutions are already out there. They’re led by local communities and ready to grow. Thank you to our partner @viriyaenb for making these connections possible and introducing us to @iesr.id, @magifarm.id, @newenergynexus, and @wriindonesia. We appreciate your openness, generosity, and leadership. 💬 To everyone who joined us in Indonesia, what moments stood out to you? #climateaction #ikeafoundation
4 days ago
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Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
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Meet Ima and Soma, co-founders of @MagiFarm.id in Indonesia. After seeing just how much food was going to waste in Bali, they set out to find a better way — one that works with nature, not against it 🪰 Now, their idea is turning food waste into value for businesses, households, and communities across Indonesia. Swipe to discover how it works and the impact it’s already making ➡️ ♻️ With support from partners like @ViriyaENB, Magi Farm is proving that rethinking the system can unlock solutions that benefit people, planet, and business alike. Want to learn more? link in bio. #ClimateAction #FoodWaste
2 weeks ago
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🍄 “What we do matters.” That’s the lasting message from Daughters of the Forest. The film follows Eliseete and Julieta, scientists from Indigenous communities, and the women around them, revealing how science weaves together with ancestral wisdom, and inviting us to see nature as a web of connection, mutual respect and care. It reminds us that climate solutions often grow from local knowledge and lived experience. Recognising and valuing these insights is key to a sustainable, resilient future. By sharing stories like this, we can help shift perspectives and inspire climate action. Through our partnership with @thedocsociety’s Climate Story Fund, the IKEA Foundation supports storytelling that brings forward underrepresented perspectives and engages wider audiences in climate action. ❤️ @daughters_of_the_forest_film Learn more about our partner, Doc Society: link in bio. #climateaction #ikeafoundation
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Follow
🍄 “What we do matters.” That’s the lasting message from Daughters of the Forest. The film follows Eliseete and Julieta, scientists from Indigenous communities, and the women around them, revealing how science weaves together with ancestral wisdom, and inviting us to see nature as a web of connection, mutual respect and care. It reminds us that climate solutions often grow from local knowledge and lived experience. Recognising and valuing these insights is key to a sustainable, resilient future. By sharing stories like this, we can help shift perspectives and inspire climate action. Through our partnership with @thedocsociety’s Climate Story Fund, the IKEA Foundation supports storytelling that brings forward underrepresented perspectives and engages wider audiences in climate action. ❤️ @daughters_of_the_forest_film Learn more about our partner, Doc Society: link in bio. #climateaction #ikeafoundation
3 weeks ago
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Today, we celebrate our founder, Ingvar Kamprad, on what would have been his 100th birthday. Ingvar’s influence goes far beyond what he built. He inspired curiosity, humility, and a constant drive to improve, always rooted in everyday life. That thinking continues to guide our work at the IKEA Foundation. Together with our partners, we are working to fight global warming with and for the many people, so everyday life can be better, now and in the future. As Ingvar said, “Most things still remain to be done. A glorious future!” There is still much to do. We move forward together. Happy birthday, Ingvar. 💙 #ikeafoundation
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Today, we celebrate our founder, Ingvar Kamprad, on what would have been his 100th birthday. Ingvar’s influence goes far beyond what he built. He inspired curiosity, humility, and a constant drive to improve, always rooted in everyday life. That thinking continues to guide our work at the IKEA Foundation. Together with our partners, we are working to fight global warming with and for the many people, so everyday life can be better, now and in the future. As Ingvar said, “Most things still remain to be done. A glorious future!” There is still much to do. We move forward together. Happy birthday, Ingvar. 💙 #ikeafoundation
3 weeks ago
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