Lead image for How clean energy is changing lives beyond the grid .
Kenya’s arid and semi-arid counties present a striking paradox as they possess the richest solar and wind resources yet remain among the least served by modern energy infrastructure. This has constrained economic activity, increased household energy costs, undermined health, and contributed to environmental degradation.
Interestingly, for Kenyans living in areas covered by the national grid, electricity is something we notice only when it goes off. But millions of Kenyans living in remote parts of our country lack access to reliable electricity for decades, relying on kerosene lamps, firewood, charcoal, and diesel generators to meet basic energy needs.
To reverse this imbalance, the government, working with the World Bank, Kenya Power and Lighting Company, and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, is implementing the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP).
The flagship initiative brings modern energy solutions to communities in 14 underserved regions in Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Narok, Samburu, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, and West Pokot counties, where extending the national grid is technically difficult and economically prohibitive.
KOSAP is far more than an energy project. It is a strategic investment in people that expands access to reliable and affordable electricity in homes, schools, hospitals and public institutions. The real measure of KOSAP’s success lies not in the kilometres of distribution lines constructed or the number of solar systems installed but in the lives being transformed.
In Lodwar, Turkana County, Frida Muthengi says switching to a modern Jiko Digi cookstove has transformed her family’s daily routine. As she puts it, “The old jiko consumed too much charcoal and was slower than this modern one. Food now cooks just as quickly as it would on a gas stove.”
Her experience reflects a broader transformation taking place across KOSAP beneficiary communities, where modern clean cooking technologies are helping families reduce fuel costs, cook more efficiently and enjoy healthier homes with cleaner indoor air.
Similar stories are emerging as more households adopt energy saving cooking technologies and solar home systems that provide reliable electricity. This enables children to study after dark, powers small businesses and reduces dependence on costly kerosene.