Eskedar Gessesse

October 17, 2014

Think Globally, Act Locally – Promoting Access to Clean Energy in Arusha, Tanzania

Lack of access to modern technology, otherwise known as ‘energy poverty,’ is a pervasive problem in many developing countries. About 1.4 billion people around the world do not have access to electricity. Many of these people use traditional energy sources such as wood and charcoal for many different purposes. Embark Energy is a social enterprise that aims to empower local renewable energy entrepreneurs to harness local knowledge with local resources and provide affordable clean energy to tackle energy poverty. Through its pilot program in Arusha, Tanzania, the organization provides training and access to financial support to local clean energy businesses to create a healthier and greener environment. Eskedar Gessesse will be presenting about her summer internship experience at Embark Energy as a Social Media Intern. She will discuss how she was able to secure the internship, the challenges she faced working at a startup as well as the invaluable lessons she learned by working closely with entrepreneurs in a fairly unpopular business.