News

The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) have selected the first-ever participants of the Women in Clean Cooking (WICC) Mentorship Program.

Chosen from more than 150 applications from over 30 countries, the selected participants include 29 women working in a wide range of areas across the clean cooking sector. The WICC Program aims to advance the careers of women working in the clean cooking sector in Africa and Asia.

“I am thrilled to be part of the launch of the inaugural Women in Clean Cooking mentorship program. Mentorship has been so important in my own career; I have been both challenged and encouraged by both mentors and mentees! I believe this program will give women access to the tools and networks they need to reach their full potential – to progress in their careers, attain leadership positions, and advance the energy sector as a whole” said Dymphna van der Lans, Chief Executive Officer of CCA.

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of SEforALL, also added “I am honored to support the new Women in Clean Cooking mentorship program and the 29 women participating from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Women leaders are the key to achieving SDG7, recovering from COVID-19 and driving the sustainable energy transition we need. Programs like these are critical to helping young women seize leadership roles.”  

“The participants for this year’s program include researchers, technology experts, project managers, communications specialists, and founders, among many other highly qualified professionals. We look forward to witnessing their professional development over the year as well as the resulting impact they will have on the clean cooking sector” shared Christine Lins, Executive Director of GWNET.

Meet the Participants of the WICC Program:

• Adekunbi Adesokan: Programme Director, Friends of the Environment, Nigeria
• Alexinah Achea: Area Manager, Bidhaa Sasa, Kenya
• Angel Cibemba: Wood energy (makala) Project Manager, World Resources Institute, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Apicha Rebecca Elvania: Senior Program Officer – Environment, International Lifeline Fund, Uganda
• Awuor Dorothy Otieno: CEO, Nyalore Impact Limited, Kenya
• Aye Aye Nyo: Project Coordinator, GERES, Myanmar
• Brenda Mutalaza: Customer Service & Loans Manager, African Clean Energy, Uganda
• Eap Sarath: Sale Coordinator, African Clean Energy, Cambodia
• Farhatul Zannat: Finance Manager, ATEC Australia International Ltd., Bangladesh
• Happy Amos: Founder/Managing Director, Roshan Renewables, Nigeria
• Heang Thy: Communication and Partner for SNV Renewable Energy/Cookstove Project, SNV, Cambodia
• Hlengiwe Radebe: Sustainable Energy Project and Communications Officer, Sustainable Energy Africa, South Africa
• Ketty Aldy Odero: Senior Lab Analyst, Burn Manufacturing, Kenya
• Keziah Ntwiga: R & D and QA Engineer, PayGo Energy, Kenya
• Marie Claire Mukeshimana: PhD Researcher in Energy and Policy Management for Sustainable Development, North China Electric Power University, Rwanda
• Marina Fenka: Project Manager in Environment and City Planning, S2 Services, Cameroon
• Memory Suwedi: Energy Development Officer, Community Energy Malawi, Malawi
• Nitisha Agrawal: Founder, Smokeless Cookstove Foundation, India
• Rejoice Ntiriwaa Ossei-Bremang: Research Fellow, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
• Rethabile Mafura: Human Resource Manager, African Clean Energy (Lesotho), Mosotho
• Rozalia Mushi: Behaviour Change and Communication Manager, SNV, Tanzania
• Ruth Gicharu: IT Manager, M-Gas (Kenyan Subsidiary of Circle Gas), Kenya
• Ruth Njeri Gichuhi: Manager, EED Advisory, Kenya
• Sadikshya Aryal: Cofounder, Rural Development Initiative, Nepal
• Shaily Jha: Research Analyst, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, India
• Sumedha Awasthy: Project Manager, International Institute for Energy Conservation, India
• Syprose Ochieng: Researcher, African Centre for Technology Studies, Kenya
• Thandeka Tshabalala: Senior Professional Officer, Low-Income Energy Services, City of Cape Town, Swaziland
• Wilfrida Macharia: People Coordinator, Sistema.bio, Kenya

The program’s organizers sincerely thank all of the applicants for taking the time to share their motivations for advancing the sector.

Each of the selected mentee-mentor pairs will engage in a bilateral exchange between February 2021 and December 2021, with the matchmaking based on the mentee’s career aspirations.

In parallel, networking opportunities and knowledge-transfer webinars on clean cooking and personal development topics will be organised for the mentee cohort. The benefits of the program include:

• Gaining experience from seasoned professionals in the energy sector;
• Obtaining career-enhancing activities to support concrete goals;
• Enhancing professional and personal development;
• Fostering strategic thinking and innovative ideas.

Stay tuned for updates on the participants and the program, including the announcement of selected mentors.