Results of the 2021 – 2023 Partner Innovation Fund Cohort

Our current climate crisis is something that deeply affects everyone around the world. There is an urgent and unmet need for solutions at the local level that, together, can have a global impact. Yet not everyone has the same access to the resources that would drive their solutions forward. 

Many organizations working in regions hardest hit by the effects of climate change are also the ones most familiar with the lost potential from these resourcing gaps. These actors are in search of new mechanisms that will better match untapped ideas and ambitions to training, incubation, and financing. 

Through WUSC’s volunteer program and Partner Innovation Fund, we support inclusive social innovation and social entrepreneurship as means to address pressing global issues, including climate action. In our 2021-2023 cohort of the Partner Innovation Fund, two of our partners piloted climate action projects that aimed to expand green entrepreneurship services to underserved communities, including women and refugees.

Supported by volunteers, these initiatives have provided training to more than 40 refugees and more than 130 women. They have supported entrepreneurs to start new climate action-oriented businesses and facilitated access to capital for existing businesses. They have also helped to increase awareness of the need to expand services to underserved communities through policy dialogues and entrepreneurship exhibitions. This work has led to improved opportunities and income for entrepreneurs while delivering products and services that support more sustainable communities.

Expanding Environment-Focused Training and Incubation Services to Communities Underserved by Traditional Entrepreneurship Supports

Social Enterprise Ghana | Ghana

Social Enterprise Ghana (SE Ghana) is the national network of high impact social entrepreneurs. Their goal is to strengthen Ghana’s social enterprise ecosystem to drive innovation and scale-up enterprise-based solutions to Ghana’s pressing social problems.

Over the past two years, WUSC has been supporting SE Ghana in their efforts to better reach youth who have largely been excluded from entrepreneurship programs. They have launched a suite of solutions for young people living in refugee communities who are interested in green enterprises in the mushroom and snail farming, textiles, waste and plastics sectors. This includes business development services, mentorships, and facilitating access to markets, as well as training in technical skills and on financial literacy, financial management, marketing, sales, and more. 

Several WUSC volunteers have been supporting SE Ghana on the development and rollout of this initiative. A Research Officer from Canada co-created an intake assessment tool to help uncover the unique needs and circumstances of youth in the community. The organization was also supported by a Partnership and Resource Mobilization Advisor from Canada and a Business Development Advisor from Ghana. 

Based on their learnings from this pilot initiative, SE Ghana have expanded their programs further to other underserved communities, including youth living with disabilities in Accra. In preparation for this work, SE Ghana recruited a volunteer Agricultural Entrepreneurship Advisor to help design a wheelchair-accessible training facility for clients, inspired by an accessible farm owned by one of the trainers. SE Ghana secured funding from Australian Aid to construct the facility and the design was given to local building companies for bidding. Once built, the facility will be filled with mushrooms and snails, allowing participants to gain practical hands-on experience. 

To date, the project has trained 136 participants—one-third of whom are refugees and all of whom are women—in green business management and financial literacy. They have also held four policy dialogues, and have hosted several exhibitions for businesses and other networking and mentorship activities. Program participants report changes in mindset and capacities with participants of refugee backgrounds also reporting improved recognition in their communities. Fifty-five participants also received start-up kits, many of whom report having since started their own business. One-quarter of participants already report an increase in their income or improved employment status since completing the program. 

Providing Training and Coaching to Women-Owned and Women-Led Climate Businesses

Kenya Climate Ventures | Kenya

Kenya Climate Ventures (KVC) is an impact investment management fund that works to accelerate access to climate-smart solutions by providing tailored and targeted financial and technical assistance and business development support to innovative early and growth-stage small and medium enterprises in the private sector whose commercial growth and success has a positive impact on target markets, communities, and the environment in Kenya. 

KCV is using the VCP Partner Innovation Fund award to provide women-owned and led climate businesses with expert-led support for financial management and systems development, business growth and acceleration, investment readiness, and access to KCV’s Investment and Portfolio Management Information System to provide for digital deal and matchmaking with potential investors.

A WUSC volunteer Business Development Advisor from Kenya supported KCV in this initiative this year by providing investment readiness services and support to companies to package and pitch their ideas to access additional capital. A volunteer Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action Advisor supported KVC in the co-creation of tools and support services related to environmental and social governance. KCV described their results as a highly significant improvement to their programming. 

KCV’s current portfolio includes eight women-led and owned companies which are now reporting enhanced investment readiness, strengthened financial management, and increased competitive advantage to attract and mobilize resources and opportunities required for further growth and expansion. Botanic Treasures, which processes and sells Moringa products, experienced 10% growth in revenue. Sistema Bio, which manufactures and distributes both households and institutional biogas systems, experienced 85% business growth due improved collections, credit management systems, and financial monitoring. Together, they have helped to create 273 jobs; reduced 35,933 tonnes of CO2 emissions; and reached nearly 80,000 households in Kenya with farm produce, clean energy products, and energy efficient cooking systems. 

Learn more about our Partner Innovation Fund.

Do you have education and work experience in environmental or climate studies? Learn how you can help advance environmental sustainability and climate action around the world as a volunteer with partners like SE Ghana and KCV. View our environment or climate change volunteer opportunities to learn more and apply.