Saada: “YEP is an excellent opportunity for enriching your personal development, expanding knowledge and social networks from interactions with different local and international experts. This combined helps drive a poverty alleviation agenda: SDG 1.”ĭo you have any tips and tricks for other (aspiring) Young Experts? Access to energy has a positive impact on other SDG’s such as 4 - quality education as lighting allows for studying at night, and number 8 - decent work and economic growth. In addition, access to renewable energy obviously contributes to SDG 7 - affordable and clean energy and SDG 13 -climate action as our projects provide people and businesses with sustainable alternatives to diesel mini grids or generators. Karlijn: “Clean cookstoves reduce indoor air pollution and deforestation, positively contributing to SDG 13 - climate action and SDG 3 - good health and well-being. Your work seems to contribute to a number of SDGs: which ones? One of our key activities in the SE4All projects is supporting businesses that supply renewable energy solutions and clean cook stoves, to enter new ‘underserved’ markets and sell their products to households and firms which currently have limited access to energy and clean cooking.” These contribute to Kenya’s SE4All initiative whose goal is to achieve 100% universal access to modern energy services by 2030 for cooking and electricity. Karlijn: “Saada and I both work in the Energy Department at SNV Kenya, on EnDev projects. ![]() YEP Energy contributes to three clear renewable energy themes: decentral access to affordable energy services for households, including clean cooking solutions innovation (technology, finance and business) and productive use of renewable energy for SMEs, farmers & social institutions.” The fields are interlinked, and close collaboration is needed to address global challenges such as climate change, food security, energy and poverty. Energy completes the nexus of agrofood, water and energy. Saada: “YEP Energy was introduced in 2020. Saada: “But especially in these uncertain times it is very nice to be able to reach out to each other.” In addition, we had plans here in Nairobi to do meet ups, field trips for work, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic this will be postponed. Karlijn: “The preparation training was very nice to do together as we knew we’d be working together a lot. What have been the highlights of your YEP Duo experience so far? Saada has expertise inimplementing access projects, having worked with SNV Kenya.” I have experience in development sector from the financial access perspective having worked for FMO (Dutch Development Bank), mostly assessing the impacts of investments on environment & social factors and climate finance. Karlijn: “We have diverse but complementary expertise. The main users are families, small and medium enterprises and social institutions.” This basically means setting up sustainable and profitable business models and enterprises for stand-alone solar systems and improved clean cooking solutions. Saada: “My expertise lies in the execution of energy interventions using a market-based approach. Tell us a little more about your individual areas of expertise? She also knows a lot about the context from her personal experience growing up in a remote location in Kenya.” Saada has been working on the projects for a while now. Karlijn: “In terms of work it’s also helpful. This builds personal friendship, and we always look to each other for moral support.” This gives us more opportunities to share not only work experiences but also our YEP experiences. Saada: “Karlijn and I work on similar projects in the same office space. ![]() It’s great to have a familiar face when everything is new.” Karlijn: “There are various benefits for me, first it is nice that I already knew Saada due to the YEP Preparatory Training which we had before arriving in Kenya. What would you say are the biggest advantages of working together as a YEP Duo? Their work focusses on supporting market developments for cleaner cookstoves and solar powered solutions for households and small businesses in Kenya. They work together on Energizing Development (EnDev) projects in the Energy Department of not-for-profit international development organisation SNV. Saada Mohamed Sala and Karlijn Groen are the first-ever YEP Energy duo. ![]() Two heads are smarter than one, the saying goes, and Young Expert Duo working partnerships are a case in point. This interview was first published in YEP Effect #6 a publication which was created during the early stages of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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