In the remote village of Nyailinga in Migori County, a quiet revolution is taking shape, one that places women at the heart of the global fight against climate change.
A local enterprise, WICCARE-Africa (Women in Cold Chain Agriculture and Renewable Energy), is leading a bold renewable energy initiative that fuses environmental sustainability with women’s economic empowerment.
According to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Fiddoh Kenns Ochieng, the project is designed to convert biodegradable waste from nearby markets into renewable energy sources such as briquettes, biochar, pellets, ethanol and organic fertiliser.
Ochieng believes this innovative approach not only addresses two pressing challenges—waste management and clean energy access, but also places women at the centre of climate solutions.
“We are working through existing women’s groups across the county,” he explains, “equipping them with skills in waste collection, renewable energy processing, and sustainable farming practices.”
This grassroots model is expected to sequester several metric tonnes of carbon annually, making it a key contributor to Kenya’s climate goals.
By repurposing organic waste like crop residues, food scraps, and vegetable peels, the project curbs methane emissions while creating clean alternatives to charcoal and firewood.
The briquettes and biochar serve as low-emission fuel, ethanol provides a cleaner option for household cooking, and the organic fertiliser helps regenerate soil health, boosting agricultural productivity and food security in the region.
According to George Nyakwaka, a Nyailinga resident, women in rural areas have long been on the front lines of climate impacts, often relying on unsustainable energy and farming methods to survive.
This initiative seeks to reverse that trend, turning women into renewable energy entrepreneurs, decision-makers and climate custodians.
While the global renewable energy sector remains largely male-dominated, projects like WICCARE are rewriting the script.
By integrating women into every link of the value chain, from waste sourcing to clean energy production, the company is setting a powerful precedent for inclusive, community-led climate action.
As climate change continues to threaten livelihoods across the Global South, especially in agriculture-dependent regions, the Nyailinga project offers a scalable, replicable model for how sustainability and gender equity can go hand-in-hand.
