Can renewable energy revolutionize rural Africa? 

Gigawatt Impact is a groundbreaking nonprofit dedicated to scaling renewable energy in the world’s least developed countries and vulnerable rural communities. Gigawatt Impact develops utility-scale, community-based renewable energy projects by leveraging venture philanthropy. These efforts empower communities with financial and environmental independence while addressing racial and economic injustice.The organization was highlighted this week at the Lights of Hope virtual event.The concept began 18 years ago when Co-founder Yosef Abramowitz arrived in Israel’s Arava region, intending to power the area entirely with solar energy during the day.“It was the same time that the region in the south of Israel got a million-dollar grant from the UJA Federation of Toronto, and it started us off on our journey, which we ended up deploying $400 million of investments there,” Abramowitz recalled. “It’s the first time I understood some grant money can unlock big investment money.”Today, Abramowitz is using the same model to help transform Africa.“In a very poor country like Burundi, it’s very hard for investors to get their minds around investing serious money. There’s a lot of risks. So here, the philanthropic community plays a very important role, both in doing some of the studies and the community work, corporate social responsibility programs, the water pump, and other things we’re doing there,” Abramowitz explained.He shared one example: “We just fired up 200,000 of these bricks. It had six classrooms for 1,400 students, cramming into very few classrooms. So that’s the role of philanthropy. However, our other partners were able to bring in the largest investment in Burundi’s energy history. It wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t have the philanthropic money.”Gigawatt Impact’s initiatives extend beyond Burundi. The organization is also working in Uganda, where Patrick Nzitunga leads its efforts.Many rural communities in Africa lack access to electricity, yet 90% of the population relies on farming as their main source of income. Gigawatt addresses this issue by building power plants, connecting them to the national utility grid, and selling electricity to support these communities.However, Gigawatt’s work goes beyond simply providing electricity. It focuses on empowering rural communities by boosting agricultural productivity. The organization develops community infrastructure centers to ensure energy solutions are tailored to local needs. By tackling challenges like post-harvest losses and the exploitation of farmers by middlemen, Gigawatt enables farmers—especially women—to increase their productivity, income, and overall economic independence.“This is not about solving poverty in a ‘poor’ country; rather, it’s about addressing systemic barriers and creating opportunities through access to energy and sustainable agricultural practices,” Abramowitz said. “Gigawatt’s work is transforming rural econ