Women Lead $100M Clean Energy Push in Zimbabwe

A renewable energy revolution in Zimbabwe is putting women in charge, and the results are transforming entire communities.

The Joint SDG Fund partnered with Old Mutual to launch a renewable energy investment platform that's changing who gets to lead the clean energy transition. More than half of the enterprises supported through the fund are run by women, breaking down barriers that have long kept female entrepreneurs out of the energy sector.

The numbers tell a powerful story. The Zimbabwe Renewable Energy Fund started with $30 million and is now scaling to roughly $100 million in its second phase. That growth will support hundreds of businesses across solar, hydro, biomass, and mini-grid technologies.

These aren't just investments in panels and turbines. They're investments in people who have been systematically locked out of financing opportunities. Women-led enterprises face structural barriers when trying to access capital, build businesses, and scale innovations.

Lisa Kurbiel, who heads the Joint SDG Fund Secretariat at the United Nations, sees this as a blueprint for global change. The fund helps reduce investment risks in developing countries where access to capital remains a major obstacle to renewable energy growth.

The impact reaches far beyond balance sheets. When women design and lead energy systems, the benefits multiply across families, communities, and entire economies. Clean energy powers schools, hospitals, and small businesses while enabling digital connectivity and economic opportunity.

The Ripple Effect

This model proves that climate solutions and gender equality aren't separate goals. When investment platforms intentionally include women-led enterprises, they strengthen the entire clean energy ecosystem while expanding economic opportunity.

The shift is happening at every level. Women are needed in STEM fields developing next-generation technologies like hydrogen power and advanced storage systems. They're needed in boardrooms where policies get designed and investments approved. They're needed on the ground, running the enterprises that close energy access gaps.

Over the coming decades, trillions of dollars will flow into renewable infrastructure worldwide. Zimbabwe is showing what becomes possible when that money reaches the people ready to lead change.

The future of energy isn't just renewable—it's being built by women who refused to wait for a seat at the table.