Uniting Local Talent with Productive Power.
THE PROBLEM
Rural women entrepreneurs in electrified communities like Chimtende have the business experience, savings group memberships, and financial discipline to adopt productive use energy equipment (PUE) – but they can’t get it. The technology exists. The financing structures exist. What’s missing is a trusted last-mile connector: someone in the community who can raise awareness, guide the onboarding process, and provide ongoing local support after the sale.
THE SOLUTION
AmpHER trains and deploys women-led local agents embedded in communities. Each agent discovers entrepreneurs ready for productive energy equipment, connects them to the right product and financing through existing savings groups, and provides local support after sale. Providers and mini-grid operators pay AmpHER three ways: an acquisition fee per qualified customer, an ongoing local support fee, and a site activation contract. This funds a base stipend, placement bonus, and ongoing support payments for agents. The model is proven: Customized Energy Solutions (CES) Women Impact Network has already placed 150+ machines across Eastern Province with one repossession. AmpHER builds the shared layer that lets any provider plug into any community.
APPROACH
Women-led agent network · B2B model (providers pay) · Savings group integration ·
FIELD RESEARCH
Chimtende & Dambie, Eastern Province
TEAM MEMBERS
The AmpHER team members, left to right:
- Wickson Mwenya · University of Lusaka – Politics & International Relations
- Bupe Gift Mumba · University of Lusaka – Economics & Finance
- Zaara Dsouza · University of Alberta – Computer Science
- Aruzhan Kapsemetova · University of Alberta – Computer Science & AI
- Luis Sandoval · University of Alberta – Civil Engineering
