Women play a central role in local economies across Sub-Saharan Africa, yet persistent barriers in access to finance, energy, and productive assets limit their economic potential. In energy-poor contexts, women bear disproportionate unpaid labor, health risks, and financial exclusion, even as they form the backbone of household and small enterprise activity. Limited access to reliable and affordable energy further compounds inequality, as productive assets—such as irrigation pumps, cold storage, and clean cooking technologies—can significantly increase women’s earnings but often remain out of reach due to high costs and constrained financing.
The Gender Results-Based Financing (RBF) pilot, implemented by Shell Foundation in partnership with Odyssey Energy Solutions and CrossBoundary Advisory, tested whether targeted, results-based incentives could help energy companies reach more women customers while generating measurable economic outcomes. US$500,000 supported four appliance distributors in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania, providing clean cookstoves, solar irrigation pumps, cold storage, and agricultural processing equipment. Importantly, the program mandated women’s ownership of these assets, ensuring that income and control accrued directly to women end-users.
The results were significant: 2,494 income-generating appliances were sold to women, most of whom had no prior access to similar technologies. Independent assessments found that 81% of women reported increased income, with average monthly earnings rising by US$61.60, translating to over US$4.6 million in additional net income over the appliances’ lifetimes. Beyond financial gains, women experienced improved ability to save, greater financial resilience, better respiratory health, and cleaner home environments, demonstrating that access to productive energy tools can transform both economic and social outcomes.
Key insights from the pilot highlighted the effectiveness of women-to-women sales models, the importance of designing financing and marketing around household decision-making dynamics, and the potential for quick uptake when affordability and accessibility barriers are lowered. The pilot also revealed operational complexities with end-user subsidies and emphasized that longer program horizons and stronger enterprise-level support would enhance sustainability and impact. Digital platforms for data collection, verification, and disbursement were noted as critical for scaling gender-responsive financing.
The Gender RBF pilot underscores that financing intentionally designed around women’s realities can unlock substantial economic and social returns. By providing women access to the right tools and resources, businesses and development programs can catalyze inclusive growth, improve community wellbeing, and demonstrate that women are a viable and valuable market segment. This approach shows that supporting women’s economic empowerment is not just equitable—it is a driver of broader market and societal development.
