Local tech solution driving access to water and clean energy

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A homegrown digital innovation is breaking long-standing barriers that have locked low-income and unbanked communities out of access to safe water and clean energy.

Sandi AI, a technology-driven social enterprise, is scaling up its e-savings model to enable communities to acquire clean energy solutions such as solar lighting and clean cooking technologies without the burden of high upfront costs.

The pilot programme, which began in 2024, was implemented in the districts of Ibanda, Isingiro, Luwero and Kanungu in Western Uganda.

Through Sandi AI’s digital platform, community members pool savings in structured rotational groups and channel the funds toward clean energy products. The model builds on existing Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) and integrates mobile money services, making it accessible to users without formal banking services.

The expansion follows a successful pilot phase, with early results indicating growing uptake among households, schools, and small businesses traditionally excluded from clean energy transitions.

Speaking at a press conference last Friday, Sandi AI Chief Executive Officer Nabakka Sandra said the model is already delivering tangible benefits.

“Families and schools are accessing clean energy through systems they trust, without the stress of upfront payments. When technology works with communities, real energy inclusion becomes possible,” Nabakka said.

She noted that while clean energy technologies are increasingly available, their initial cost remains a major obstacle for rural and peri-urban communities.

“For many households, purchasing solar systems or clean cooking solutions outright is simply unaffordable. Our approach allows communities to acquire these technologies gradually, using trusted savings structures they already rely on,” she explained.

“Before this programme, clean energy felt like something meant for people in towns, not us,” said Sarah Tusiime, a member of a local savings group in Kiruhura District.

“We wanted solar lighting for our homes and school, but the cost was too high to pay at once. Through our saving group, we contribute little by little, just like we always do. Now our children study at night, and we no longer spend money on kerosene.”

More than 90% of households in rural Uganda depend on biomass for cooking, exposing families to health risks and environmental degradation. In this context, innovative financing models such as e-rotational savings are increasingly seen as critical to closing the energy access gap.

The clean energy pilot has attracted strong interest from schools, community leaders, saving groups, and local partners, who cite its simplicity, transparency, and compatibility with existing community systems.

Sandi AI’s expansion into clean energy aligns closely with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV), which prioritises increased electricity access and reduced dependence on biomass fuels. The initiative is being rolled out in collaboration with relevant government ministries and public stakeholders to ensure alignment with national sustainability and energy goals.

Uganda’s electricity access remains uneven, with national coverage estimated at 51.5 per cent—76.4 per cent in urban areas compared to 42.4 per cent in rural communities. At the same time, more than 90 per cent of households still rely on biomass for cooking, exposing families to health risks and contributing to environmental degradation.

In this context, innovative financing models such as e-rotational savings are increasingly viewed as critical tools for closing the energy access gap.