Uganda’s start-up scene is booming, but all too often, the benefits of clean energy don’t make it beyond the nation’s major cities or towns and the reason is often lack of access to stable funding.

Tackling climate change in Uganda provides essential lessons on how the continent can scale climate action and increase access to clean energy products.

In rural Uganda, community-based organisations (CBOs) provide many essential services — supporting better health, education, sanitation and work for local people. We learned quickly that these organisations have the networks, trust, and community reputation to bring new technologies, such as solar lights, water filters, briquettes and clean energy cookstoves, to rural villages.

Their vital social role can be leveraged to increase uptake of renewable energy through retail and advocacy. It is these CBOs that understand the buying patterns of their customers by providing credit payment facilities like installments payment. It is not just CBOs that can drive.

Read more: Business Daily