ENERGISE AFRICA is the investment platform where investors can help fund groundbreaking clean energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa by investing and targeting up to 8% returns on carefully risk assessed organisations. Access to clean power is a huge issue across the region – more than 600 million people still lack access to electricity, especially in rural areas – and that’s a big problem for everything from basic cooking and lighting to education and economic development. With Energise Africa investors are helping pioneering businesses to bring solar power to rural communities. One example is Green mini-grids. Local sustainable energy systems that bring reliable solar electricity to entire rural communities that electricity grids don’t reach. With access to electricity, kids have light to study by at night, so their school performance improves. Businesses can buy water pumps and other labour-saving devices, boosting their income, there’s less use of carbon-intensive power sources like kerosene, and people can get on with building stronger communities.