SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization with a local presence in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, SNV’s mission is to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships, to transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all. More specifically, our work includes advisory services, evidence-based advocacy, and implementation at scale. In Kenya, SNV has been at the forefront of national development, working with the government, local development partners, knowledge institutes, the private sector, and low-income communities. Therefore, SNV seeks to continuously develop and strengthen partnerships with organizations and initiatives that help build local capacity and empower communities to break the cycle of poverty.

Energising Development (EnDev) Programme

The Energising Development (EnDev) Programme is an energy access partnership currently financed by the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) coordinate the programme at the global level.

In Kenya, GIZ acts as the lead agency for the implementation of the programme and works in partnership with SNV at the country level. The EnDev Kenya country programme focuses on providing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy to deliver social, economic, and environmental change. SNV Kenya is implementing the humanitarian component targeting the poor and vulnerable groups with a specific focus on refugee settings in Kakuma.  

Project Background - Market-Based Energy Access Phase III

With funding from the Energising Development (EnDev) Programme, SNV has been at the forefront of commercializing energy access in refugee settings in Kenya from 2017 to June 2023 (MBEA Phase I Project, and MBEA Phase II Project). The new humanitarian energy access project titled “Market Based Energy Access Project - Phase III (MBEA III) began in July 2023 and will build on the past work done by SNV in the refugee settings in Kenya. The project will facilitate market development for the energy sector with a focus on the Kakuma refugee camp, the Kalobeyei settlement camp, and the host communities.

Through a market-based approach, the MBEA III project will be anchored on the private sector specifically the stoves and solar supply side actors (including manufacturers, producers, and their distribution partners including stockists, sales agents, technicians, and resellers), to facilitate market development for energy access technologies targeting households and businesses. In addition to the basic household technologies, the project will also focus on increasing the market share for the higher tier technologies through enhanced focus on the larger SHS, component-based solar systems, PUE appliances, and higher tier cooking (HTC) technologies for use in refugee settings. The project will also facilitate access to user credit/finance to support full acceptance of the energy technologies and enhance their purchase and use in the refugee market.

Project Description

The project will accelerate access to appropriate, reliable, and affordable energy services for households (HH), and Micro, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) by strengthening supply and enhancing uptake of quality off-grid solar-powered systems and clean cooking solutions, resulting in improved livelihoods, increased productivity, employment creation, and increased incomes, therefore contribution towards the nation’s economic development.

The project seeks to achieve the following objectives:

• Accelerate access to household lighting and clean cookstoves for communities in the refugee set-up.
• Facilitate supply and adoption of stand-alone solar systems for use in business settings.
• Strengthen local production of cookstoves including the introduction of appropriate and affordable higher-tier biomass stoves (higher efficiency) for production at the local level.
• Facilitate access to credit for the end users to purchase stove and solar products.
• Enhance the enabling environment to encourage private sector investment in the refugee market.

The first implementation period begins from Jul 2023 and will end in Dec 2023, while the second period will run from Jan to Dec 2024.

To enhance the effectiveness and achievement of results, the specific interventions and technologies promoted under the project are customized to the refugee setting. The eligible technologies and their selection, target partners, and applicable project support have all been described HERE - Download the call document

Application Requirements

The project seeks to support organizations with the following characteristics:

• Companies registered and operating in Kenya, with evidence of statutory and legal compliance. Applicants must be willing to pass the mandatory due diligence process undertaken in compliance with SNV’s procurement policy.
• Organizations distributing solar and/or cookstoves targeting households and/or small and medium-sized businesses.
• Stove production units with operations in the target refugee market.
• Have quality assurance mechanisms in place and after-sales support. Companies providing product warranties will have an added advantage.
• Willingness to distribute products through both cash and credit models.
• Willingness and capacity to take the lead in identifying support needs and participate in market development activities facilitated by the project.
• Willingness to sign an MOU and report to the project. The companies will be required to report sales data and provide periodic progress reports to the extent supported by the project.

Eligible organizations are hereby invited to submit their applications to participate in the project.

• An application template has been provided as an attachment to this request for expression of interest.
• Submit your EOI using the official application template to Email: [email protected]. In the email subject please cite Application – SNV HUMANITARIAN MBEA III as a reference.

Proposals will be accepted from Aug 2023 onwards. The project will assess applications on a first-come first-serve basis, undertake due diligence and sign MoUs on a case-by-case basis.

The call for applications does not guarantee any applicant of selection. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Download the call document HERE (ToR)

Download Application Template HERE