Renewable energy access boosts rural jobs in Africa

June 24, 2020

Carbon Trust

Our new partnership with the Carbon Trust will use renewable energy to create sustainable jobs, reduce poverty and empower women in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

The IKEA Foundation has granted the Carbon Trust €5 million to support the Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) Programme, which will be delivered jointly with Energy 4 Impact.

The programme, which is co-funded by UK Aid, will fund more than 20 collaborative projects and partnerships. These use a market-led approach to promote the productive use of energy – linking energy directly to activities that generate income.

More than energy

While a reliable and affordable energy supply is vital for people living in rural sub-Saharan Africa to power their homes and businesses, energy access alone is not enough to transform economies.

Rural energy programmes need to consider the social and economic context for each local area and build partnerships that give people access to finance, technology and markets.

PREO promotes direct collaboration between energy users and power suppliers. In doing so, it will help realise the potential of energy access to improve livelihoods and boost economic growth. Overall, it plans to create 3,500 jobs, empower 1,000 women and benefit more than 11,000 rural households.

Afford a better life

Jolanda van Ginkel, the IKEA Foundation’s Programme Manager for Renewable Energy, says: “The PREO programme gives organisations working on energy for productive use the support to scale up by focussing on what people in rural communities really need.

“By working together effectively, we want to make renewable energy accessible more quickly to many communities. This will reduce carbon emissions and enable people living in poverty to afford a better life.”

The funding from IKEA Foundation will supplement €5.9 million that has been provided by UK Aid. By attracting additional co-funding, PREO aims to deliver a project portfolio with a total value of more than €20 million. 

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Carbon Trust
https://www.carbontrust.com/en-eu

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  • 📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
  • 🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
  • This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
  • Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
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📢 We just helped launch The Shift at @ldnclimateweek — a campaign to make climate progress visible. Too often, the organisations driving climate solutions don’t have the same access to influential media as those with the greatest resources. 🌍 The Shift is our way of helping change that, supporting our partners to bring their evidence, stories and solutions to new audiences, and shift the climate conversation towards progress already happening. The campaign features an incredible group of partners working across some of the world’s most pressing climate challenges, including Climate Analytics, Global Methane Hub, InfluenceMap, NewClimate Institute, @fossilfueltreaty, UMI Fund and Youth Climate Justice Fund. Explore the stories, meet the organisations behind them, and share with your network. Together, we can help more people see the climate solutions already making a difference: 🔗 link in bio! #LCAW2026 #TheShift
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🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
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🪰 What if a tiny insect could help tackle food waste, support farmers, and reduce emissions? The black soldier fly is doing exactly that. ♻️ Across Kenya, partners like @_icipe are scaling insect-based innovations that transform organic waste into valuable resources such as animal feed and organic fertiliser — supporting healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient food systems. 🍅 And in Indonesia, @magifarm.id, supported through partners like @viriyaenb, is using the same nature-based approach to rethink food waste management, turning waste into value for businesses and households. This is what people-centred climate action looks like in practice: solutions that work for people, planet and business. 💬 Had you heard of black soldier flies before? What other unexpected climate solutions have caught your attention? Let us know in the comments.
3 weeks ago
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This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
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This is cool — literally! 🧊 Denis Karema, CEO of @sokofreshkenya and a strong advocate for expanding access to solar-powered cooling in Kenya, showed us how these solutions make a real difference in farmers’ everyday lives. By keeping food cold, less goes to waste — a key climate solution as temperatures continue to rise across many regions. We had the opportunity to document how SokoFresh’s cold rooms are used in Kenya as part of our upcoming IKEA Foundation Week campaign, which will focus on food systems. This work is supported by the IKEA Foundation and our partner @claspappliances, who are helping bring renewable energy to smallholder farmers in East Africa and India. SokoFresh is also supported by our partners #PREO and @enviu, as part of a strong nexus solution across renewable energy and agriculture work. A huge thank you to Denis for sharing his inspiring work, and to our fantastic production team in Nairobi for bringing this story to life. 📅 More to come during #IKEAFoundationWeek, Autumn 2026. #ikeafoundation
1 month ago
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Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
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Across rural India, women are the backbone of agriculture, balancing farming, food processing, and household care. Yet many still lack access to reliable energy and technologies that can help ease labour and strengthen livelihoods. Through Powering Livelihoods, led by @ceewindia and @villgro_possible with support from the IKEA Foundation, social enterprises are bringing renewable energy technologies to rural communities. Swipe to see how one partner, @rahejasolarfoodprocessing, is helping women preserve produce for longer, reduce post-harvest loss, and earn more from what they grow. As of April 2026, through the Powering Livelihoods-supported enterprises: 🌱 ~46,000+ livelihoods positively impacted, with almost 45% being women ☀️ ~29,000+ renewable energy technology deployments 📍 Across 25+ states and union territories in India Learn more: link in bio #IKEAFoundation
2 months ago
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