- 3 mins read time
- Published: 11th June 2026
Empowering communities across Africa: How ElectricAid is transforming lives
ElectricAid, based within ESB & EirGrid in Ireland is the country’s largest occupationally based development funder. Founded in 1987, it has supported more than 2,500 development and humanitarian projects worldwide. Guided by principles of community participation, sustainability, and long-term impact, ElectricAid funds initiatives that strengthen local capacity, promote human rights, and create pathways to economic and social empowerment.
In Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Uganda, ElectricAid’s values and approach come to life through the stories of communities transforming their own futures.
Why ElectricAid’s approach matters
The impact of these initiatives is rooted in ElectricAid’s long-standing principles:
- Community participation at every stage
- Sustainable, long-term development over short-term aid
- Non-denominational, inclusive service delivery
- Co-funding and shared ownership to build local responsibility
- Capacity building that empowers communities to thrive beyond the life of a grant
These projects are made possible through voluntary contributions from ESB and EirGrid staff and retirees, reflecting ElectricAid’s member-led model. This unique model ensures that every funded project is carefully evaluated, locally grounded, and designed for lasting impact
In 2025, projects were being implemented in Zambia and Malawi. Some of the work completed in the period from 2019-2022 is below:
In Tanzania, a youth and women-led greenhouse initiative introduced modern farming techniques to communities facing recurring climate shocks. Two community groups successfully established greenhouses, directly benefiting 34 members and indirectly supporting over 170 family members.
Through training in greenhouse construction, water management, and maintenance, farmers improved their harvest yields, strengthened food security, and built local expertise that can be shared widely. These skills are helping people adapt to drought and climate variability, ensuring more stable incomes and year-round production.
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, initiatives in Lubhangwe and Pamumvuri addressed both nutrition and economic empowerment.
The Sisonke Garden, supported by a solar-powered borehole, improved water access from seven kilometers to just 500 meters, boosting garden productivity, household income, and nutritional outcomes for women and children. Similarly, in Zvishavane, young women and girls gained skills and income through soap and popcorn production, reaching over 220 people directly and nearly 5,000 people indirectly.
In Malawi work focused on water access, education, and emergency response. Following Cyclone Idai, hygiene kits, boreholes, and farming inputs restored livelihoods for over 10,000 households, while cash-for-work programs helped communities rebuild.
Subsequent borehole projects in Lilongwe, Balaka, Kasungu, and Mulanje districts improved access to safe water for over 44,000 people, enhancing school attendance, menstrual hygiene management, and COVID-19 prevention.
In Uganda, youth skilling programmes equipped young people with practical training in tailoring, bakery, and computer skills, empowering over 900 participants to pursue sustainable livelihoods.
Backyard vegetable gardening initiatives further enabled urban youth to secure year-round food and income while promoting climate-smart farming and gender equality within households.
A common theme across these projects is gender empowerment. From bicycles supporting gender-based violence (GBV) volunteers in Malawi and Zimbabwe to expanded shelters for survivors of GBV in Bubi, Zimbabwe, communities are becoming safer and more equal. In Malawi, the distribution of 94 bicycles meant volunteers could reach thousands in remote areas, increasing GBV survivor support by 75% and empowering women leaders to drive social change.
A future built on resilience, knowledge, and local leadership
Together, these initiatives show the transformative power of community-led solutions. By providing access to clean water, stronger livelihoods, safer environments, and essential services (including public health), communities are not just surviving but they are thriving. From improved nutrition and health to economic empowerment and gender equality, these projects demonstrate that strategic support, coupled with local engagement, can create lasting impact across Africa.
The future is rooted in resilience, knowledge, and opportunity…one greenhouse, borehole, garden, and bicycle at a time.
The participating communities, together with Oxfam Ireland and its partners, wish to express their profound appreciation to the ESB and EirGrid staff and retirees whose generosity and steadfast support contributed to making these initiatives possible. Their commitment to ElectricAid’s mission continues to empower locally led solutions, strengthen resilience, and inspire meaningful, lasting change across the regions where this work continues to grow.
