The Solar Cooking Program equips women in Uganda with skills in solar cooking, baking, and business, helping them build sustainable careers. In partnership with the Rape Hurts Foundation, the program also supports survivors of gender-based violence by offering a path to clean energy and a more hopeful future.
Supporting Survivors Through Solar Cooking
Led by the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), the Solar Cooking Program empowers women in Uganda to become culinary entrepreneurs. This initiative equips participants with skills in solar cooking, baking, marketing, and accounting, creating career opportunities and promoting clean cooking throughout the region.
Its year-long pilot phase, which recently concluded in the Busoga sub-region, has already enabled hundreds of women to earn an income while advancing the use of clean cooking technologies.
For the pilot phase, SELF partnered with the Rape Hurts Foundation (RHF), a Uganda-based organisation that provides support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, 22% of women in the country aged 15 to 49 have experienced sexual violence.
The program was designed to provide career pathways for survivors as they rebuild their lives. Hellen Tanyinga, RHF’s founder, highlighted its impact. “Despite what they’ve been through, these women look toward the future with hope and ambition,” she said. “This program allows them to grow their skills and be at the forefront of this greater shift toward clean energy and clean cooking.”
Addressing Global Challenges Through Solar Cooking
Globally, 2.1 billion people rely on polluting fuels like wood and charcoal for cooking. According to the United Nations, these fuels are linked to 2 million premature deaths annually, with Sub-Saharan Africa particularly affected due to its widespread reliance on these harmful energy sources.
The Solar Cooking Program offers a sustainable alternative. By harnessing the power of the sun, it reduces reliance on polluting fuels, improving both health outcomes and environmental sustainability.
The pilot phase included the launch of two solar-powered bakeries, called Sanyu Bakeries, in Jinja and Kamuli. These are equipped with Lytefire solar cooking units, which can bake, roast, dehydrate, and cook a variety of foods at scale. The bakeries serve as training centres where participants learn solar cooking techniques and essential business skills. Graduates can then work at the bakeries or use the solar units to start their own cooking or catering businesses.
One participant, 25-year-old Ritah Akite, shared her experience. “Before coming here to join the solar cooking program, I didn’t have a job,” she said. “But when I joined, I learned skills in baking bread, cookies, cakes, and buns. These skills enabled me to be self-reliant.”
Empowering Communities Through Training
To date, the program has trained 1,738 people, raising awareness of the benefits of clean cooking and increasing demand for solar alternatives in the region. In parts of Uganda that remain largely unelectrified, solar cooking offers a practical solution, as standalone appliances provide a sustainable way to produce food that reduces environmental harm and improves livelihoods.
Bob Freling, SELF’s executive director, highlighted the program’s broader goals. “Clean cooking technology is a win-win for the planet and for human health,” he said. “It can also be a source of opportunity and a tool for lifting people up. That’s our goal here.”
The Solar Cooking Program demonstrates how clean energy solutions can address global challenges while empowering individuals on a local level. By focusing on solar cooking, the initiative creates career opportunities, promotes sustainability, and improves health outcomes all at once.
The success of the Solar Cooking Program in Uganda offers a powerful blueprint for other regions. Its emphasis on training, entrepreneurship, and clean energy demonstrates how solar initiatives can transform lives and communities. As local demand for clean alternatives grows, the program stands as a model for sustainable development, proving that solar cooking is more than just a tool for clean energy—it is a pathway to a brighter, healthier future.
