OUR PURPOSE
Our change vision
We envision a sustainable transition to a green economy driven by SMEs that work together with financial institutions to build and scale innovative products and services, and create jobs in green sectors.
Our approach combines capacity building of post-revenue, scalable green enterprises and co-creation with financial insitutions to facilitate access to tailored missing middle finance.
Our Activities
Business Development Support
for green enterprises in group and one-on-one formats to build their financial capacity and stengthen their scalable business models
Collaboration with Local Banks
to co-create opportunities to increase accessibility and tailoring of loans to green business models and technologies.
Green Finance Dialogues
and interactive training courses on green finance to build a community of practice, increasing knowledge on green financing opportunties and sharing success stories and learnings.
SUPPORTING GREEN ENTERPRISES
Rethinking Product & Service Design
As a key sector in driving economic development, manufacturing can be harnessed to develop green products and services that support communities to minimise negative impacts. Green manufacturing accelerates new opportunities for value creation. Green business approaches in the manufacturing sector significantly reduce waste, energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Propelling the Energy Transition
Enterprises working in the clean energy sector offer products and services that increase access to energy, reduce the energy demand of households and organisations or offer alternative renewable energy sources to customers. These products and services result in a reduction of emissions – in particular, greenhouse gas emissions – and can create significant co-benefits for health, gender, and education. Examples include clean cookstoves and briquettes, solar energy systems, and biogas systems.
Turning Trash into Cash
The urbanisation of societies puts pressure on city infrastructure, including waste management. Enterprises that collect, recycle and upcycle waste apply sustainable closed-loop waste management systems that save plastic and waste from infiltrating land and water sources, and improve resource efficiency. These innovative circular economy business models turn trash into cash, while generating positive environmental impacts. Urban waste management enterprises provide products and services that improve sustainability.
Promoting Eco-Tourism
Enterprises in the sustainable tourism sector aim to reduce the negative impacts of tourism and amplify positive environmental, social, and economic benefits generated by the community. This includes engaging tourists in activities and experiences that protect the cultural heritage and biodiversity of the community, providing alternative income sources for marginalised members of the community (through tour guide work, handicrafts, etc). This promotes both cultural exchange between communities and sustainability.
Low Carbon Footprint Approaches
Enterprises in the mobility and transport sector address issues of pollution and congestion and work towards transport options that are sustainable, energy-efficient, and integrate the needs of marginalised communities. They leverage new technologies and new business models to make mobility sustainable and accessible to more people by avoiding, shifting or improving existing means of transportation. Besides reducing negative environmental impacts, most importantly greenhouse gas emissions, enterprises in the sustainable mobility and transport sector also create social impacts, like increased safety and inclusivity.
News & Blog
Happenings, Insights & News
UGEFA’s GFDF23 Drives Financing Solutions for Green SME Investments
UGEFA Announces Collaboration with dfcu Bank for Sustainable Future in Uganda
Innovative pathways to scale green SME investments
