A new phase of collaboration between Solar Sister and the Puma Energy Foundation is set to expand clean energy access and economic opportunities for women across Tanzania. The initiative seeks to empower hundreds of female entrepreneurs through solar business training while advancing energy inclusion in rural areas where electricity remains scarce.
The partnership between Solar Sister and the Puma Energy Foundation began in 2023, initially centring on the Business Booster Programme, which trained 579 women entrepreneurs in Tanzania. Participants also received digital literacy training and access to smartphones to help expand their customer base, increase earnings, and provide more off-grid households with solar-powered lighting and clean cooking solutions.
In the second phase, beginning in 2025, Solar Sister plans to recruit and train an additional 500 women entrepreneurs in three new regions of Tanzania. The initiative will also equip 200 women with digital business skills and enable them to sell around 16,000 solar products, including 2,000 clean cookstoves.
“The goal is not just to sell energy products,” said Cesear Mloka, Solar Sister Tanzania’s Country Director. “It’s to empower women with confidence, financial independence, and a respected voice in their households and communities.”
Across sub-Saharan Africa, more than 940 million people still lack access to electricity, and over 700 million rely on unsafe fuels such as firewood and charcoal for cooking. In Tanzania alone, around 36 million people, more than half the population, remain without reliable electricity. Many rural households depend on kerosene and wood for lighting and cooking, posing severe health and environmental risks. Women are disproportionately affected, spending long hours collecting fuel and inhaling toxic fumes, while often lacking sustainable sources of income.
To tackle these issues, the Puma Energy Foundation partnered with Solar Sister, an organisation dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs who sell solar lamps and clean energy products within their communities. The partnership combines clean energy access with economic empowerment, allowing women to build sustainable livelihoods while promoting environmental change.
Since 2010, Solar Sister has built a network of over 12,000 Solar Sister Entrepreneurs, reaching more than 5.5 million people across sub-Saharan Africa. The organisation’s model provides business training, mentorship, and access to financing, helping women establish and grow their energy enterprises. It also ensures all solar products sold are tested for durability and quality. In Tanzania, Solar Sister’s work has benefited more than 2.3 million people since its launch in 2013.
“We aim to improve livelihoods and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” said Laura Fruehwald, Programme Manager at the Puma Energy Foundation. “Through this partnership, energy is not only a tool for daily living, but also a catalyst for empowerment and long-term development.”
In addition to the Foundation’s support, Puma Energy Tanzania complements the initiative by ensuring access to affordable, high-quality LPG products and services. This alignment supports Tanzania’s clean cooking goals by providing safe, accessible alternatives to traditional fuels, helping reduce household health risks and environmental degradation.
By integrating Solar Sister’s community-led entrepreneurship model with Puma Energy’s infrastructure and clean energy expertise, the partnership creates a holistic approach to rural energy access. Together, they aim to enhance women’s economic participation, strengthen local economies, and improve the overall quality of life for families in Tanzania’s off-grid regions.
The collaboration represents a long-term commitment to empowering women and promoting sustainable energy solutions, ensuring that progress in clean energy translates into tangible social and economic benefits across the country.
