Our OD Young Person of the Month is Brian Kakembo from Uganda. Kakembo Brian is the founder and director of WEYE Clean Energy, a social enterprise using green business to empower over 800 youth and women to create sustainable and affordable climate solutions. He is a recipient of iF Social Impact Prize in 2017 by iF Designs in Germany, Greenpreneurs Achievement Award 2018 by the Global Green Growth Institute in South Korea, The 2020 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year Award by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 class of 2021.
Read his amazing story below and be inspired.
BRIAN KAKEMBO
Kakembo Galabuzi Brian was inspired to start the Waste to Energy Youth Project at an Innovation Jam at the 2015 Student Energy Summit in Bali, Indonesia. The project aimed to rally youth to transition East Africa from wood fuel to affordable fuel briquettes and bio-gas. Initially, Kakembo’s initiative engaged over 200 young people, with the goal of providing energy for the 85% of Ugandans who cannot afford clean energy sources. and it has grown into a very remarkable enterprise.
He is also a former UN intern, previously working with the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva. He is a former Board Director for Student Energy, a global youth organization empowering young leaders accelerating the transition to a sustainable, equitable energy future. He has an MBA in Energy and Sustainability with his undergraduate degree in commerce (Finance major).
On How He Started
WEYE Clean Energy Company stands at the forefront of green innovation, dedicated to empowering youth from low-income communities, whether they are in school or not, to embrace micro and small green enterprises as a catalyst for promoting environmentally sustainable energy and agricultural practices. In collaboration with St. Kizito High School Namugongo and Ndejje University, they are pioneering the “Centre for Inclusive Green Skills” (CIGS). This groundbreaking initiative aims to democratize access to green skills and knowledge, thus preparing young individuals for promising futures within the green economy. Nestled within the Mukono community on a lush 2-acre plot, CIGS is poised to function as both a green business accelerator and a vibrant demonstration site. Here, cutting-edge applications of green technologies and practices, ranging from solar-powered hydroponics and biogas generation to sustainable IT solutions, will be on display. CIGS is designed to endow participants with the essential skills needed to flourish in the green economy. WEYE generates income from already existing products like briquettes made from agricultural waste that also help in reducing deforestation for wood fuel. Through the centre (CIGS), Brian and his team generate income from training and consultation fees, study tours of our demonstration projects and external funding for community outreach programs.
On His Successes
Regarding green jobs creation (SDG8), In partnership with NGOs and donor agencies, over 800 youth and women trained by our training and capacity building project since 2018. And with their Briquette-Preneur Eco-system Project (BEP), they have so far trained 100 youth in the last one year alone with thirteen (13) youth directly employed in WEYE Clean Energy company’s out and 72 absorbed across the briquette value chain. In promoting clean cooking (SDG7), Brian and his team are currently providing clean cooking fuels (briquettes) to one Large scale poultry farm, 3 schools, 2 restaurants, 1 hotel, 1 light manufacturing company and 70 households replacing wood fuel which saves over 15 hectares of trees from being cut for wood fuel contributing to SDG15 Life on land.
On His Challenges and Future Plans
Brian and his team are looking for support and partners to build the Centre for Inclusive Green Skills (CIGS) designed to be a climate innovation hub offering youth access to green skills training and innovative green technologies, creating inclusive pathways to meaningful green jobs, green entrepreneurship, and impactful eco-tourism. The Centre aims to democratize access to green skills and knowledge, preparing young individuals for the future economy. Located on a 2-acre plot within the Mukono community, the Centre will serve as both a social business accelerator and a demonstration site, showcasing practical applications of green technologies and practices. From briquette production and solar-powered hydroponics to biogas generation and sustainable IT solutions, CIGS will equip participants with the skills necessary to thrive in the green economy. The team’s long-term plan is to have our Centre be the leading African Innovation hub equipped with demonstration green projects, eco-friendly accommodation facilities, computer labs, green co-working spaces, workshop/project spaces, green innovation labs, Library, and sporting/ health spaces.
But operating a briquette production social enterprise in Uganda presents challenges such as limited access to finance, as securing capital for equipment and raw materials can be difficult. Additionally, there’s the hurdle of building awareness and changing traditional cooking practices, as many households still rely on conventional fuels. Moreover, inconsistent raw material supply poses a challenge, as sourcing biomass sustainably demands effective coordination with local communities. These hurdles require strategic solutions and collaborative efforts to ensure the success and sustainability of briquette production in the Ugandan social enterprise landscape. While solutions to such challenges exist, there is lack of proper accelerator programs to help youth like Brian from low income communities access skills and information to build sustainable solutions but in spite of these challenges Brian and his team are pressing on.
His Words of Advice For The Youth
Innovate sustainably, embrace challenges, and collaborate widely.
You can connect with Brian Kakembo on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Also check out his project’s website here and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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