BRD-Renewable Energy Fund “ CANA UHENDUKIWE ” Will Change Beneficiaries ’ Livelihoods Through Affordable Solar Home Systems
The issue of access to electricity continues to be a challenge in Africa . In Rwanda for instance , as per the latest data provided in October 2021 , the cumulative connectivity rate is 67.1 % of households . Among these , 48.6 % are connected to the national grid and 18.5 % get electricity through off-grid systems ( mainly solar ). However , through the elaboration of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies ( EDPRS II ), the Government of Rwanda has shown its commitment to ensuring universal access to electricity by 2024 , with off-grid solutions contributing up to 48 %, while on-grid solutions will account for 52 % of national electrification .
To meet this target , the Government of Rwanda channelled funds through the Renewable Energy Fund ( REF ), also known as CANA UHENDUKIWE , managed by the Development Bank of Rwanda ( BRD ) in order to accelerate efforts aimed at universal electrification . These efforts will subsequently pave the way for beneficiaries ’ economic growth .
BRD ’ s interventions have been designed to address key constraints in the sector such as high start-up costs , among which electricity costs constitute a challenge , particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ).
Through this initiative , Rwandan households and SMEs will be connected to off-grid electricity through solar systems . In this process , the use of electricity generated by a clean source of energy will replace the use of diesel , kerosene , dry cell batteries , as well as other alternative fuels .
How does one apply for the loan ?
To get a ‘ CANA UHENDUKIWE ’ loan , one must have an account in Savings and Credit Cooperatives ( SACCO ), a Commercial Bank , or a microfinance institution ; or work with a solar company from where they apply and are vetted in order to get the solar home system on credit .
There are currently 46 SACCOs , four commercial banks ( Bank of Kigali , Bank of Africa , I & M Bank , and Access Bank ), and over 6 solar companies ( BBoxx , Ignite , Mobisol , NOTS , StarTimes , and Solektra ), all working under the CANA UHENDUKIWE brand .
With CANA UHENDUKIWE , an applicant chooses a specific loan product and gets solar home systems installed with no delays .
The # CanaChallenge
The # canachallenge is a community-based initiative launched by BRD on December 16th 2021 on different social media platforms . The campaign encourages all Individuals and Organizations to make voluntary contributions to “ Light up a Rwandan Family ” that cannot access affordable electricity .
For every contribution of 15,000 RWF ( US $ 15 ), BRD will top up the remaining 100,000 RW ( US $ 100 ) necessary to purchase and install a home solar system for a family .
BRD calls upon everyone who can to join this initiative that will light up and transform the livelihoods of at least 10,000 families .