2020 Impact Report Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy - Bridges for Enterprise
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Prepared By
2020
Impact Report
Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy
1
Letter from the Founders
Uganda is blessed with an abundance of natural renewable energy. The amount of light
transmitted to earth by the sun in one hour is good enough to fulfill the energy demands of the
entire planet of one whole year. Thus, the question facing the country is not how to gain access to
these resources, but rather how to how to tap into it and bring it to people.
Faced with the challenge of climate change, the world is increasingly turning towards de-
carbonization of its energy sources. The result is a trend towards the use of renewable energy
globally. Reflecting this global trend in Uganda, Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy (PEA) is a clean
energy distributor focused on delivering clean energy and organic agriculture products to
underserved communities in the last-mile.
In the last two years of operations, PEA has gained incredible momentum, rapidly expanding to 10
villages in Eastern Uganda. However, in 2020, PEA’s strong growth has been hindered by COVID-
19’s large impact, and the need to take the necessary health precautions and safety measures put
a pause on PEA’s distribution efforts. That being the case, our team did not falter, and we
continued to pursue other opportunities, such as applying to grant applications and forming
partnerships with Briquette makers to help us improve our business operations.
After COVID-19, our team plans to reopen with a stronger action plan and a drive to make greater
impact in Eastern Uganda. Our dedication distinguishes us from the competition. Anyone can
become an entrepreneur; however, not everybody is going to have the same level of success.
Entrepreneurship takes a lot of experience, discipline, confidence and willingness to leave one’s
own comfort zone. Entrepreneurs live in an environment of uncertainty, where there is no
prerequisites to becoming a successful entrepreneur. However, exhibiting the aforementioned
characteristics will continue to fuel our growth in expanding Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy.
“
Together we are building a more sustainable future in
Together we are building a more
Uganda– a future in which youth and women
Energypreneurs drive the clean energy transition in the Pearl
sustainable future in Uganda– a future in
of Africa. We’ve compiled this report to recount our stories which youth and women Energypreneurs “
and to display PEA’s impact on last-mile communities to drive the clean energy transition in the
date. We invite you to join us in creating a brighter Uganda Pearl of Africa.
and to be a part of our story!
Elvis Kadhama and Natima Simon
Co-Founders of Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy
2
Who is Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy
Started in 2018 by its co-founders Natima Simon and Kadhama Elvis, Pearl
Entrepreneurs Academy (PEA) is an environmentally-driven social enterprise
focused on delivering renewables and organic agriculture products to
underserved markets in last-mile communities. Our business product line spans
multiple product types, including:*
Solar Lanterns Low Emission Cookstoves Briquettes Water Filters
*Note these products don’t include the organic agriculture products part of our new business line,
which include organic fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds.
How do we reach the last-mile?
To reach last-mile communities, PEA has created an innovation in distribution. We
build relationships with local village leaders and Village Savings and Loan
Association (VSLA) groups and collaborate with both entities to hold large clean
energy education workshops. To accommodate to consumers who cannot afford
to bear the immediate upfront costs of our products, we offer a “Rent-to-Own”
model to create customized installment payment plans for each individual.
PEA has made it its purpose to improve the lives of many low-income families by
providing them with life-changing clean energy products. Results from impacted
villages/families have been overwhelmingly positive, with customers reporting
increased productivity, increased safety for children and women at night, longer
learning hours for children and less smoke inhalation from cooking for women.
These benefits largely result from PEA’s work in distributing life-changing clean
energy products. Our team of 15 Energypreneurs will continue to spearhead
distribution into more village communities, improving sustainable livelihoods and
leading positive change in last-mile communities.
3
Our Focal Populations
Our mission is to replace dirty and expensive lighting and cooking solutions with
sustainable energy alternatives for millions of people living without electricity in
eastern Uganda.
The millions of people living without electricity are often those living in rural
communities or in urban informal settlements. These ”last-mile” community residents
are groups of resilient individuals who can benefit greatly from clean energy products.
WHO ARE PEA’S CUSTOMERS ?
90% of PEA’s customers
are female
Most of PEA’s customers
are those living in extreme
poverty (< $2 PPP/day)
All live in off-grid locations
and in rural or
impoverished urban areas
4
Picture from our partner manufacturer d.light
Our Impact to Date
This year, Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy has dedicated our
efforts to better tracking our impact. Our organization was
created to improve the livelihoods of rural villagers and DID YOU KNOW
urban informal settlement inhabitants through the
distribution of clean energy products. Thus, we have created In 2019, the United
a robust framework adapted from the United Nation Nations implemented the
Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) to track and People, Planet, Prosperity,
quantify our impact. Peace, and Partnerships
framework to measure the
PEA has adopted the People, Planet and Prosperity impact of the UNSDGs.
model to measure our impact: PEA has adapted the
framework to measure our
1. People focuses on the determination to end poverty
impact through People,
and hunger Planet, and Prosperity.
2. Planet helps communities reduce emissions and
deforestation to transition to more sustainable
lifestyles
3. Prosperity ensures that all human beings can enjoy
prosperous and fulfilling lives
PEARL ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY IMPACT TO DATE*
People Planet Prosperity
2M 200+ 600
Hours of Kerosene Exposure Reduced Tonnes of CO2 Emissions Reduced Customers and 7,200 Beneficiaries Served
440K 40K 187M
Hours of Cooking Smoke Exposure Reduced Litres of Kerosene Reduced Ugandan Shillings Saved for Customers
35 15
Trees Saved from Deforestation Youth & Female Energypreneurs
* These figures were calculated based on our partnership with Bridges for Enterprise. When Covid-19 lockdown
restrictions lessen, we will be able to continue expanding our impact along the metrics above.
5
2020 Achievements
This year, PEA has aligned itself more closely with supporting the UNSDGs. Specifically,
our business directly correlates to four key SDGs (No Poverty, Gender Equality, Good
Health and Wellbeing and Affordable and Clean Energy), with overlapping influence in
other fields, such as Good Health and Wellbeing.
S R O I
What was PEA’s Social Return on Investment in 2020?*
Every dollar invested in our sales and distribution leads to:
152 Hours of harmful fuel and smoke exposure
reduced for PEA’s customers and beneficiaries
0.01
Tonnes of CO2 prevented from being released into
the environment from kerosene, deforestation, and
wood-burning
3.10
Dollars of each customer’s income saved to be used
for other productive activities, such as pursuing an
education
* Note Social Return on Investment (SROI) is determined by our total impact to date. Future impact tracking strategies
will begin to disaggregate SROI calculations by year. 6
Meet Our Energypreneurs!
Despite COVID-19, 2020 has been a strong year of
employment for our team. This year, PEA onboarded 11
Energypreneurs– dedicated sales agents – who help us DID YOU KNOW
market and sell clean energy products across 10 villages.
PEA now has 16 dedicated staff members and 15 In rural Uganda…
15%
Energypreneurs to support our mission. of youth (ages
15-24) are
As a social business, our enterprise exclusively hires women unemployed 1
and youth, two groups who, despite having highly
entrepreneurial and refined skills, have historically faced
barriers in the labor market in rural Uganda.
Energypreneur Focus Testimonial
“The income from clean energy business allows me to
contribute to household earnings, gain confidence,
achieve financial independence and respect from my
family. I now play a big role in household decision-
making. From the training and mentorship I’ve received
from PEA, I have gained important professional skills in
Namugwana Besi Female Equity marketing, financial management, communication
strategy and industry knowledge.”
Luglolole Village
Energypreneur Focus Testimonial
“Since I’ve joined PEA, I’ve gotten the opportunity to
work with the PEA team to solve challenging community
energy problems. I have enjoyed happy working
conditions and have forged strong relationships with my
fellow Energypreneurs and customers. As an
Energypreneur, I have been able to network with
customers of diverse backgrounds and have also
Muwanguzi Shadrack Youth Power cultivated my own knowledge on the health and
Bugingo Village financial benefits of clean energy products”
1
Trading Economics. “Uganda - Unemployment, Youth Total (% Of Total Labor Force Ages 15-24)”. 2017. 7
Meet Sooma: A PEA Customer
Sooma Samali
Tsetse Village
Mayuge Town
Proud
Ugastove
Customer
Sooma Samali lives in the Tsetse Village in Mayuge Town, Uganda. Until recently, Sooma used
“
a local cookstove, which was energy inefficient and emitted a great deal of smoke, posing both
financial and health burdens on her and her family.
At the beginning of 2020, Sooma met
with PEA sales agents and was donated a
Ugastove such that she could trial the
product. As a result, Sooma is now able
to use the Ugastove to cook food faster
and use less resources. Sooma now no
longer uses her local cookstove.
I just use the Ugastove because it cooks
“
faster, and it’s dual, allowing me to cook with
both charcoal and firewood... I just need a
quarter of the firewood I have to use on an
Upon entering the community, PEA also
open fire, so I save a lot of money every day.
hosted education workshops on clean
energy, collaborating with local VSLA groups
to do so. PEA believes in education as a means of promoting long-term empowerment and
understanding of unsustainable energy use.
8Meet Sooma: A PEA Customer
Nakaziba Topilister
Giriri Village
Mayuge Town
Proud
Solar
Lantern
Customer
Nakaziba Topilister lives in the Giriri Village of the Mayuge District Uganda. Prior to meeting
“
the PEA team, Nakaziba used kerosene lamps as her main lighting source, situating them in the
house and the cooking hut outside.
However, kerosene lamps create health,
safety and financial concerns on residents.
Kerosene emits a significant amount of
carbon dioxide and noxious gases that
impact those operating at close proximity
to these lamps. This lighting method is
highly prone to gas explosions and
requires recurring oil purchases.
“
I’m really happy with my d.light A2 solar
lantern...The solar lantern works as promised
and it gives me bright light in the entire
room….With A2 being portable, my daughter
and son can use it in the evenings to sort rice
After participating in a VSLA education and to study.
session taught by PEA, Nakaziba purchased
the A2 solar lantern model and is excited about the functionality of the product as well as
purchasing more PEA products in the future. While Nakaziba purchased this product through
personal savings, she plans to purchase the Ugastove through a loan facilitated by her VSLA group.
9New Initiatives in 2020
Throughout 2020, our leadership has spent time thinking about making our
business stronger and more resilient. Coming out of COVID-19, we are
prepared to relaunch of business operations with a stronger and more clear
action plan.
Clean Energy Segment Expansion
This year, our whole PEA team underwent training to
create organic, eco-friendly briquettes to pair with our
low-emission cookstove sales. We will offer briquette
training and sell our own briquette products to our
customers and beneficiaries moving forward.
Business Unit Expansion: Organic Agriculture
We listen to our customers. That’s why when they said
they wanted to see more product offerings for organic
agriculture products, we listened. This year, we are
expanding our business unit to encompass organic
agriculture products to include organic fertilizers,
pesticides, and seeds.
Marketing & Fundraising
With COVID-19 winding down, our team has also sought
to expand our marketing and fundraising channels. This
encompasses creating and publishing more digital
marketing graphics as well as a fundraising campaign.
10Media & Publications
“
Before our launch, rural people were
underserved and left out, because nobody was
thinking about how to extend these life-
changing products to them. Now, we have
helped them access clean energy products
which are durable, warranted and money-
saving, all at affordable prices. ”
Elvis Kadhama, Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy
Bridges for Enterprise
“
Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy is emerging as a
model social business combining
entrepreneurship with community social service
in the last mile.”
New Energy Nexus
“ PEA works together with community-based
trainers who earned the trust and respect of
their respective VSLA groups and its members
on a commission basis.
Erik Löwer, Business Development Volunteer
Medium Blog
11Partnering for Change
This enterprise is supported through its partnerships with various stakeholders, ranging
from national and international organizations, investors, research institutes, suppliers,
other social and environmental enterprises.
Bridges for Enterprise (BfE) is an organization of students
and professions offering Pro Bono advisory services to social
enterprises in emerging economies. PEA underwent BfE’s
consulting and financial advisory incubation program, which
has equipped us with the tools to grow our venture, creating
a more inclusive and sustainable future.
ENVenture Enterprises Uganda finances and trains Community
Based Organizations to launch rural clean
energy enterprises in Uganda. It supported PEA with clean
energy start-up loans. This year PEA qualifies for the
ENVenture growth fund.
D.light Designs Uganda Ltd: supplies discounted, quality,
affordable and durable solar lanterns warranted for two
years. They also provide PEA with marketing and technical
support, including product repairs and replacements.
Angaza is a social enterprise that has created a technology
platform through which social entrepreneurs can track its
sales. Its services will accelerate PEA’s solar product
distribution in rural communities.
15 VSLA Groups VSLA and local leaders allow us to hold education
workshops for local villagers, enabling us to distribute solar
10 Local Leaders lanterns and solar home systems to their group and
community within the Mayuge district. 12Thank You to our Donors
Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy would not be where we are without the
contributions by our generous donors, financiers and volunteers. Thanks
to your contributions, we were able to buy more inventory, expand our
marketing and improve our internal infrastructure, which has contributed
to our ability to reach 600 customers and 7,000+ indirect beneficiaries.
INDIVIDUAL DONORS GRANTS
• Marvin Tumusiime • The Pollination Project
• Elizabeth Kalemera • The McGinnity Family
• Gloria Kayanga Foundation
• Henry Sempangi Sanyulye • One Young World Summit
• JB (Scholarship offered to Co-
• Sheila TIV Founder Elvis Kadhama)
MICROLOANS INCUBATORS
• ENVenture Enterprises • ENVenture Enterprises
• Climate LaunchPad
13LIGHT UP EASTERN UGANDA © Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy 2020 Photography: Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy Copywriting & Design: Annie Wang Front Page: Co-Founder Elvis Kadhama in a VSLA group meeting discussing the benefits of clean energy Back Page: A family member of PEA customer Nakaziba Topilster
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