CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

EMPOWERING HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH THE ALTERNATIVES TO CHARCOAL INCUBATION PROGRAM??

The USAID Alternatives to Charcoal (A2C) Clean Cooking Incubation Program will kick off in January 2023. The Incubation Program is a 5-month program to build the capacity of 10 startup companies in the clean cooking sector. The program will address business-related challenges, including increasing market share, product distribution, access to finance, profitability, and customer perception. In January the incubator will accept the first cohort of 5 Zambian entrepreneurs with innovative technology and fuel solutions as alternatives to charcoal. The program will accept a second cohort in April 2023 with another 5 Zambian entrepreneurs.??

"The Clean Cooking Incubation Program will work specifically with emerging and startup companies to support their business formation and development in the clean cooking value chain. Participants will be selected based on a competitive application process, and successful applicants will participate in the incubation program free of charge. Successful graduates of this program will play an important role in providing affordable, accessible and acceptable alternatives to charcoal to reduce deforestation in Zambia,” stated the A2C Chief of Party, Dr. Catherine Picard.??

The Alternatives to Charcoal (A2C) Activity in Zambia works to reduce urban charcoal energy consumption by taking a market-driven approach and catalyzing a shift in household cooking away from charcoal towards private sector-led, low-emissions technologies and fuels. The A2C activity aims to reduce charcoal energy consumption by 25% in Lusaka and by 5% in select urban areas outside of Lusaka, and catalyze a 38% increase in the use of low emission alternatives to reduce deforestation directly attributable to charcoal production by 6.69%.???

Speaking on the launch of the program, Martin Kiilu, Head of Advisory at GrowthAfrica, the incubation program implementing partner shared, "GrowthAfrica is excited to partner with USAID on the Alternatives to Charcoal program as the implementer of the incubation program seeking to support 10 Zambian startups offering alternative fuel sources to millions of Zambians. The program continues on our concerted effort over 20 years accelerating businesses in Africa and especially in Zambia where we have been present since 2018 when we launched our inaugural Growth Accelerartor Zambia cohort. Through the incubation program we will seek to support these startups with innovative solutions build on their entrepreneurial skills, with a focus on analyzing their business, developing growth strategies and articulating their business for both their internal and external audiences. The support will culminate in the startups pitching to investors and partners for potential investment and collaboration opportunities. We hope to see a growth in these startups supporting the reduction in the adverse climate impact brought about by deforestation and positively impact the lives of households in Zambia.”?

According to statistics from the Global Forest Watch, from 2002 to 2021, Zambia lost 29.5kha of humid primary forest, making up 1.4% of its total tree cover loss at the same time. The area of moist primary forest in Zambia decreased by 8.9% in this period.???

"By participating in the incubation program,? we hope selected entrepreuners will maximize their economic and social impact by gaining access to tools and resources that will strengthen their business model. They will also gain from peer-to-peer learning where they will learn from and partner with other high-growth young entrepreneurs in Zambia," said Dr. Picard.???

Ventures interested in joining the program should submit their application through the online form - https://bit.ly/USAIDZambiaA2CApplication.???

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Applications close on 5th December 2022, 11:59 PM (GMT). For more information kindly contact Anastazia Mtonga on [email protected]??