Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access
Powering inclusive solutions to refugee energy poverty
Worldwide, 120 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. 94% of those living in refugee camps and settlements have no meaningful access to electricity, and 81% rely on firewood or charcoal for cooking – which puts their health at risk.
With access to clean, affordable energy, refugees can raise their incomes and enjoy a better quality of life. But in order to succeed, solutions must be sustainable, tailored to individual communities, and create the full range of possible benefits – such as new jobs and skills for local people. For this reason, it’s vital to increase support for solutions led by displaced people themselves.  Â
Our unrestricted development grants, technical assistance and strategic communications support are all geared to making recipients a more attractive and secure investment prospect.
Ashden supports refugee-led solutions
Ashden is giving direct investment and support to refugee-led organisations and entrepreneurs in Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia, nurturing access to renewable energy for refugees and displaced people. We are doing this as a partner in the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access programme, funded by UK aid through the Transforming Energy Access platform.
Our funding and support helps refugee-led businesses and not-for-profits strengthen and scale their work in delivering clean energy products and services to households and entrepreneurs in refugee camps and settlements. We are also gathering and sharing insights on this issue, to create wider change across the humanitarian system.
How will we create impact?
Landscape study on refugee-led energy delivery
Our on-the-ground research in camps and settlements is understanding the demand amongst refugee households and enterprises for clean affordable energy, and how refugee-led efforts can meet this need. We are exploring how clean energy can replace the polluting energy systems already in place, and analysing possible delivery models – their potential impact, and how investment can effectively scale them up. We’ll share the results, and recommendations for action, with funders and other key players in the humanitarian system.
Inclusive investment pilots
We are giving grants of up to £10,000 (local currency equivalent), as well as technical assistance and communications support, to 12 refugee-led clean energy projects. Our Inclusive Investment Pilots – supporting both enterprises and not-for-profit organisations – will test different business- and energy delivery models in displacement settings.
Refugee-led Energy Enterprise Accelerator
We will also give grants of £25,000, alongside technical assistance and communications support, to six initiatives. The Refugee-led Energy Enterprise Accelerator will show how, with the right support in place, refugee-led clean initiatives can achieve impact and scale.
Grantees taking part in our pilot and accelerator programmes will be announced in May and June 2025.
Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access (THEA) Inclusive Investment Pilots
We opened up applications for THEA Inclusive Investment Pilots to support the development of clean, affordable and sustainable energy delivery models in displacement settings in Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.Â
Refugee-led energy access
Refugee-led initiatives have shown how clean, affordable energy can be delivered where it’s needed most. Importantly, they can do so while supporting local economic growth and social development, in ways not possible through the top-down approaches that have traditionally dominated the humanitarian system.
See how support for refugee-led organisations can drive inclusive, sustainable economic development.
Find out moreÂ
To find out more about the programme and our portfolio of innovators, contact Isona Shibata, Head of International Programmes
The programme is supported by
The THEA programme is funded by UK aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies