By Deodat Bernard

TAMFI Reach Out Communities to Promote Adoption of Renewable Energy Technologies 

Author: Deodat Bernard

TAMFI has supported members on developing renewable energy financing products. Also has facilitated partnerships between FI members and technology suppliers for reliable quality supply using a double hand model financing the technologies to clients. Some of the technologies financing include solar water pumps, solar lights, refrigerators, solar panels etc. Partnerships include Financial Institutions (FIs) signing MOUs with suppliers cum manufacturers such as Simusolar, Davis & Shirtliff, Solar Sisters etc.

For the purpose of accelerating the adoption of renewable energy technologies, TAMFI initiated a role to reach out the communities around the FIs that have started disbursing RE loans so that more awareness and education is provided and therefore increase demand of the promoted technologies. 

The month of September and October was set for reaching out to communities with selected renewable energy technology suppliers and other stakeholders.

Same town;

“SAME is not the same” was a catch slogan that was mentioned by the Chairperson of SAMEKAYA SACCOS echoed by the Same community members. 

The organised public meetings at Same were well attended; approximately 100 plus people attended the meetings to enquire and understand more on Renewable Energy technologies.

Key lessons that TAMFI and Samekaya took home is that there is a dire need for solar technologies among the communities. However there is limited knowledge and constraints on financing the initial capital costs of installing the RE technologies. 

Visits around Ndungu area which is located on the upper hills of Pare mountains, demonstrated the same. There were more hurdles in accessing technologies despite the potentiality of the area in agriculture. Most of those who had access to RE technologies had to get them from far, that is, Moshi, Arusha and Dar es Salaam.  They called for the suppliers to move services nearer.