VILLAGE EMPOWERMENT INC

VILLAGE EMPOWERMENT, INC. (VE) SEEKS TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, DESIGN, AND APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS GLOBALLY, BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY WHILE LEVERAGING LOCAL RESOURCES, ECONOMIES, AND CULTURES IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY, LIVELIHOOD, AND HEALTH SECTORS.SDG7 REFERS TO THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7, WHICH SEEKS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND MODERN ENERGY FOR ALL. GLOBAL SDG7 HUBS (G7H) IS A PROGRAM UNDER VILLAGE EMPOWERMENT, INC. THAT FOCUSES ON USING SDG7 OF THE UN AS A CATALYST TO ENABLE THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF LIVELIHOODS AND HEALTH IN THE MOST INCLUSIVE AND HOLISTIC MANNER TO THE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS ACROSS THE SOUTH. IN FY 2024-25, VE'S FLAGSHIP G7H PROGRAM EXPANDED ITS REACH IN ETHIOPIA, THE HORN OF AFRICA, AND EAST AFRICA, ADDRESSING CHALLENGES SUCH AS LIMITED LOCAL RESOURCES, CLIMATE VULNERABILITIES, AND WEAK INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES. VE DEEPENED ITS FOCUS ON BUILDING DECENTRALIZED RENEWABLE ENERGY (DRE) ECOSYSTEMS THAT FOSTER LONG-TERM RESILIENCE. BY COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, G7H DEMOCRATIZED ACCESS TO LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES AND STRENGTHENED HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS THROUGH CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS.ECOSYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS AND CAPACITY BUILDINGG7H STRENGTHENED AND EXPANDED ITS PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING PRECISE CONSULT INTERNATIONAL PLC IN ETHIOPIA AND ELICO FOUNDATION IN TANZANIA, TO ADVANCE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE DRE ECOSYSTEMS. THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON STRATEGIZING, DESIGNING, AND IMPLEMENTING INITIATIVES THAT LEVERAGE DRE AS A CATALYST TO ENHANCE LIVELIHOODS AND HEALTHCARE ACCESS. TO REINFORCE ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, G7H FACILITATED KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH WORKSHOPS ON SYSTEM THINKING, FIELD VISITS, PARTNERSHIP CONVENINGS, AND TRAINING SESSIONS IN PROGRAM DESIGN, ENSURING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS ARE EQUIPPED TO SUSTAIN AND SCALE SOLUTIONS OVER THE LONG TERM.MAJOR PROGRAMS & ACHIEVEMENTS1. ETHIOPIA ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT - LAUNCHED A THREE-PHASE ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (2024-2028) INTEGRATING INNOVATION, FINANCING, INCUBATION, AND CROSS-LEARNING. ENGAGED MINISTRIES OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, WATER & ENERGY, AND WOMEN & SOCIAL AFFAIRS, ALONGSIDE FINANCIAL PARTNERS INCLUDING COOP BANK OF OROMIA, AWASH BANK, TESFA MFI ETC. INITIATED 2 INCUBATION PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORTED 10+ ENTERPRISES, COMPRISING TECHNOLOGY AND CLEAN ENERGY PROVIDERS. PARTNERED WITH PRECISE CONSULT INTERNATIONAL PLC, SNV, EMBASSY OF INDIA, INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SCALE PROGRAMS IN AGRICULTURE, HEALTHCARE, AND ENTERPRISE INCUBATION.2. EAST AFRICA ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT BEGAN A 3-YEAR REGIONAL INITIATIVE WITH TANZANIA AS THE ENTRY POINT, EXPANDING TO KENYA, UGANDA, AND RWANDA. COLLABORATED WITH ELICO FOUNDATION, DON BOSCO TVET, CRDB, AND EQUITY BANK. FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURE, MICROBUSINESS AND LIVESTOCKS ESPECIALLY THE FISHERIES SECTOR, DIRECTLY IMPACTING 100+ FAMILIES IN YEAR 1, WITH PLANS TO REACH 250+ FAMILIES ANNUALLY THROUGH REPLICATION AND PILOT PROGRAMS.3. HEALTH ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT EXPANDED DRE PROGRAMS IN SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE, BURKINA FASO, MOZAMBIQUE, MALI, AND ZIMBABWE, STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE OF HEALTHCARE DELIVERY. PARTNERED WITH WHO, UNICEF, AND GAVI TO SUPPORT SOLARIZATION OF HEALTH FACILITIES. CONTRIBUTED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO THE INITIATIVE AIMING TO SOLARIZE 10,000 HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS AFRICA. PHASE 1 TARGETED 1,000 FACILITIES IN UGANDA, ETHIOPIA, ZAMBIA, AND PAKISTAN.4. MALAWI DAIRY ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM SUPPORTED THE SCOPING AND DESIGN OF COMMUNITY FACILITY CENTERS (CFCS) TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR HEALTH, FEED, MILK CHILLING, AND EXTENSIONIMPACTS ACHIEVED IN FY 2024-25 BUILT 30+ PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENTS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, NGOS, AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES. INCUBATED 10+ TECHNOLOGY AND CLEAN ENERGY ENTERPRISES THROUGH TARGETED INCUBATION PROGRAMS. 3 LIVELIHOOD SOLUTIONS WERE BENCHMARKED BASED ON INSIGHTS AND LEARNINGS FROM THE SEEDING INNOVATION PHASE. CONVENED STAKEHOLDERS, LAUNCHED INCUBATION PLATFORMS, AND STRENGTHENED SOUTH-SOUTH KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE.THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, VE DEMONSTRATED THAT DECENTRALIZED RENEWABLE ENERGY IS NOT JUST A TOOL FOR ACCESS BUT A CATALYST FOR INCLUSIVE, RESILIENT, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.