Over the next three years, the African SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks) project will establish Community Energy Hubs by transforming nine schools across Kangemi and Kibera into revenue-generating centres after school hours. These Hubs will leverage clean energy solutions to power and host activities such as laundromats, adult learning classes, computer hubs, and solar water pumping services. The initiative aims to promote meaningful collaboration and stimulate shared prosperity within the surrounding communities.

The selected schools include:

Kangemi:

~Prosperity Junior Centre

~Wisedorme Multipurpose Centre School

~Tumaini Hope Centre

~Kanyorosha Self-Help Group

~Kangemi Resource Centre

Kibera:

~Mashimoni Squatters Primary School

~Chrisco Educational Centre

~Joysprings Educational Centre

~Raila Educational Centre

Co-Creation workshops

In November, the project, led by the University of Nottingham, conducted its first round of co-creation workshops with the research team, teachers, and key stakeholders from the nine schools. Dr. Jordan Blanchard Lafayette, Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, guided the development of energy timetables to help schools plan and document their energy usage. These timetables will ensure that schools’ energy needs are met during learning hours, while surplus energy is reserved for income-generating activities in the evenings.

Dr. Vincenzo Rossi, also a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, facilitated discussions on social impact measurement approaches to track and verify the tangible outcomes of the Community Energy Hubs. The workshops included field visits to all nine schools.

From Right: Esther Ndirangu, Project Manager, Kangemi Resource Centre and Nina Mugure, Project Manager, Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe), listening on.

The training team comprised of Prof. Charles Bradshaw-Smith (SMARTKLUBS), Dr. Lorna Kiamba (Sustainable Development, University of Nottingham), Prof. Lucelia Rodrigues (Sustainable and Resilient Communities, University of Nottingham), Ali Buckland (PromptBI), Prisca Atieno, Hassan Bhatti, and Eric Akumu from the Strathmore Energy Research Centre.

Next milestone

The Strathmore Energy Research Centre, in collaboration with Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe), will begin installing 8kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at Wisedorme Multipurpose Centre School and Prosperity Junior Centre. Each system is valued at approximately KES 1.3 million.

This pilot project aims to deliver immediate benefits by powering computer labs, enabling clean electric cooking, and providing lighting for students during the first term of 2026. Once operational, the schools are expected to begin realising significant cost savings by eliminating grid electricity expenses and reducing or eliminating daily firewood purchases. The transition to clean cooking will also improve the health of kitchen staff and pupils who are often exposed to smoke during meal preparation.

Data collected from this pilot phase will guide the expansion of solar PV systems to support broader, income-generating community activities in Kangemi and Kibera.

Project overview

Awarded on 31 January 2025 under UKRI1321 Africa SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks), the project brings together leading institutions, including University of Nottingham (UK), Strathmore University, implemented by the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (Kenya), SmartKlub (UK), Edu-Cater Global (UK/Kenya), Map Kibera, Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe) and Prompt BI

The project is co-led by Prof. Lucelia Rodrigues, Head of the Department of Architecture & Built Environment, University of Nottingham, and Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Strathmore University.

Article written by Anne Njeri, Communications Officer, Strathmore Energy Research Centre.