Improving access to infrastructure services
Practical Action Southern Africa
Disadvantaged people are often excluded from essential and decentralised infrastructure service provision such as water, sanitation, energy, education and shelter.
Our work aims to improve the access of poor women and men to locally-managed services, by developing and disseminating:
- Technology that improves access to locally-managed water and sanitation
- Housing technologies and access to adequate shelter and secure tenure
- Modern, clean sustainable energy services (including cooking technologies)
- Technologies for solid waste management
- Information on improving the access of poor people to the resources, support and infrastructure they need to build their livelihoods.
Current projects
Energy documents
From policy reports and briefing documents to case studies and research papers, you will find all documents on energy here.
Read moreEnergy for All 2030
Energy for All 2030 is a cross-European project, dedicated to raising the public and political profile of energy access. Almost half the world’s population currently live without modern energy. Projections show that the situation is likely to be the same in two decades time. As a ...
Read moreEnergy policy
Access to basic, clean energy services is essential for sustainable development and poverty eradication, and provides major benefits in the areas of health, literacy and equity.
Read morePractical People Power
Energy for All 2030 is a cross-European project, dedicated to raising the public and political profile of energy access. Almost half the world’s population currently live without modern energy. Projections show that the situation is likely to be the same in two decades time. As a ...
Read morePractice and learning
Practical Action aims to increase poor people’s access to energy technology options, through improving the efficiency and productivity of biomass use, and through small scale, low cost, off-grid electricity supply.
Read moreCompleted projects
The following projects have now completed, but are included here for reference and learning.
Energising the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) – Setting the Enabling Environment (E-MINDSET)
Energy plays a crucial role in sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts. It affects all aspects of development; social, economic, and environmental, including livelihoods, access to water, agricultural productivity, health, education, and gender-related issues. Whilst improved access to modern energy services is crucial for the overall socio-economic development of the region, lack of local knowledge and skills in the area of energy planning has severely constrained the development of local energy initiatives with a focus on poverty reduction.
GENEZ - Gender and Energy Network of Zimbabwe
Gender and Energy Network of Zimbabwe (GENEZ) is a networking initiative which intends to engender energy access issues and intends to empower women by bridging the gap between men and women on issues of energy.
