JULY 04 2025
At the heart of Nordic Capital’s mission lies a passion for entrepreneurship and steadfast dedication to sustainability. It underpins the partnership with Social Initiative and its continued support of Solar Sister.
Solar Sister uses an innovative and entrepreneurial model to train and empower women to become clean energy champions in last-mile communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. In a region where over 600 million people still lack access to energy, Solar Sister transforms lives and communities.
Access to energy opens doors to brighter futures. It fuels education, unlocks economic opportunities, reduces harmful indoor pollution and empowers women and girls. It also helps to reduce CO2 emissions, as harmful kerosene lamps and open-fire cooking can be replaced with cleaner alternatives.
Becoming a solar entrepreneur is more than just a role, it is a life-changing journey. Within just one year, 84 per cent of Solar Sister entrepreneurs say they are better off financially, and over one-third have used their training and newfound know-how to start businesses.
Since 2017, Nordic Capital has supported the expansion of Solar Sister in Tanzania. Together, the following milestones have been achieved:
- 812 women entrepreneurs recruited and trained
- 60,000 clean energy products sold
- 285,000 lives transformed in rural areas
- 76,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions mitigated
Together with Social Initiative, Nordic Capital is proud to have introduced the first-ever recycling programme for solar lamps in rural Tanzania. So far, 6,300+ solar products have been recycled, contributing to a circular economy and reinforcing sustainable practices. Nordic Capital is also pleased to support Solar Sister’s expansion into Kakamega, Kenya.
“Being a Solar Sister entrepreneur has helped me to support my family and improve their lives. The biggest goal I’ve achieved since joining is buying a motorcycle that I use to distribute milk and solar lanterns to customers for their domestic needs. The skills that I’ve developed have helped me grow my business and make more profit.”
Yugile Masala, Solar Sister Entrepreneur in Mwanza, Tanzania.
This text was retrieved from Nordic Capital's Annual & Sustainability Review 2024.