PROVISION OF ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
About one billion people worldwide do not have access to electricity. In Uganda, 57.2% of Ugandans in urban areas have access to electricity; however, access drops to 10% in rural areas where many households still lack access to electricity and still use biomass for household cooking. While efforts have been made to electrify most households, majority of rural village homes are still without power or have unreliable power access, and urban slums are often neglected from the grid due to their semi-permanent structures. Without reliable access to electricity, productivity is significantly diminished— women take longer to cook and perform household chores, children cannot do homework or study at night, and sweltering heat prevents families from sleeping and creates discomfort for newborns and children.
Common traditional alternatives to electricity, such as biomass or kerosene, have significantly negative health side effects when used for prolonged periods of time including pneumonia, stroke and lung cancer (World Health Organization, 2018). The kerosene lamps burned by families we work with are extremely polluting, releasing high proportions of black carbon which has a warming effect 680 times that of CO2. The adoption of clean energy reduces carbon emissions from these toxic fuels.
CORIDON Energy access is providing access to affordable, reliable and clean energy, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7. It includes access to light and clean and modern cooking facilities, replacing biomass, coal and kerosene. It also includes access to solar fans, to combat the humidity, heat and mosquitoes. Simply connecting a neglected community to the grid does not solve energy access. For instance, in communities with access to electricity we create access to products such as irons, mixer grinders and sewing machines, to help women and families save time and create opportunities to generate income.
REDUCING GENDER INEQUALITIES THAT EXACERBATE THE IMPACT OF POVERTY ON WOMEN
Deep-rooted patriarchal social morals in Uganda lead to gender inequality that in turn exacerbates the impact of poverty on women. Societal norms are such that it’s difficult for women to find work even for those who want to work. The diminished status of women also means that families give preference to boys over girls at a young age, further exacerbating gender inequality and even resulting in significant discrepancies in survival rates between girls and boys due to selective abortions and general neglect. Women also commonly have less power when it comes to decision making in the home, are less educated and less likely to own land.
From a health perspective, in poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can be 100 times higher than acceptable levels for fine particles. Exposure is particularly high among women and young children, who spend the most time in the Kitchen. When women are aware and educated about alternatives for cooking and lighting, they can drastically improve their health and the health of their family.
From an education perspective, millions of women in Uganda lack access to education opportunities. Education enables women to understand their potential, act on their aspirations, confront their traditional role and change their life. Women also make up more than two thirds of the world’s 796 million illiterate people (UN Women, 2012). Educated women are more likely to have greater decision-making power within their households.
A key concept for women empowerment is gender equality. Gender equality refers to equal opportunities and outcomes for women and men. This involves the removal of discrimination for access to resources, opportunities and services, and the promotion of equal rights. Equality does not mean that women should be the same as men. Promoting equality recognizes that men and women have different roles and needs, and takes these into account in developing planning and programs. Sometimes people will refer to gender equity. Gender equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful, while gender equality is treating everyone fairly.
As the starting place for women in the communities we serve is much lower than their male counterparts, we intentionally create opportunities to engage women and enable them to reach their potential.
In Uganda, there is striking inequality in financial resources and consequently power distribution between men and women. Studies have shown that working women are more likely to control household finances, and women who own economic resources are far less likely to be victims of domestic abuse. More than half of the work done by women is unpaid with almost all of it informal and unprotected yet Women who are provided with an opportunity to work will invest 90% of their earnings into their families’ development (International Finance Corporation, 2013).
