First Advisor

Joshua Knight

Second Advisor

Elisabeth Moolenaar

Thesis Committee Member(s)

Nina Miller

Reader

Ameeta Scott

College

Regis College

Degree Name

Master of Development Practice

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Comments

Renewable technologies, solar kiosk model, settlement, refugees, entrepreneurship

Number of Pages

55 pages

Abstract

This thesis was carried out in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Northern Uganda to test a new model to improve access to clean energy technologies in the refugee settlement. The settlement hosts more than seventy-five thousand refugees, including the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Bududa landslides in Eastern Uganda. The literature review shows the challenges faced in the humanitarian sector. The challenge is met in providing lighting and improved cooking technologies to all refugees in settlements and camps globally. The refugees tend to cut down trees in the surrounding forest, and the wood is used for firewood to cook and lighting up their homes. The solar kiosk model has improved access to affordable briquettes, which is a replacement for charcoal and firewood, while solar products provide clean light. The four installed solar kiosks have contributed to the distribution of 577 Solar Home Systems, 843 improved charcoal stoves, and 18480.37 Kilograms of briquettes, and two purifiers were purchased. In terms of accessibility, the time to buy the technologies has dramatically reduced because the clean energy technologies are closer to the community members. The sale of water purifiers is low, having sold only two pieces in a population where over 90% drink unsafe water from wells and boreholes in the settlement. For the model to be sustainable, this study established that there is a need for continuous product education for both the kiosk operators and the masses in the community to live a more sustainable life.

Date of Award

Spring 2022

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

Download

Share

COinS