Women Concern and Ideas (WCI)

• Year Founded: 2022
• Location: Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Yumbe District, Uganda
• Energy Solutions and Services: Clean energy access, energy-saving cookstoves, briquette production, bakery, hairdressing, tailoring
• Thematic Areas of Focus: Livelihoods, agriculture, protection, sexual reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, environment, clean energy access, youth and women skills training
• Number of Employees: 7
• Website: www.womenconcern.org
• Contact: dawajane5@gmail.com

Women Concern and Ideas' Impact Story

Located in Northern Uganda, Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement is home to an estimated 200,000 refugees, making it one of the largest refugee settlements in the world. Established in 2016, the settlement has faced significant environmental challenges. Heavy reliance on firewood and charcoal for cooking has driven widespread deforestation. This in turn has accelerated desertification, creating harsher temperatures and fuelling recurring windstorms that disrupt daily life. Spanning more than 250 km², Bidi Bidi is relatively spread out compared to other refugee settlements of similar population size. Yet despite its scale, most refugee households remain disconnected from the electricity grid. Biomass fuels remain the only accessible and affordable cooking option for the vast majority of families, with few alternatives currently available.

Women Concern and Ideas (WCI), an organization with experience in training community groups on the production of improved cookstoves and carbonized briquettes, is now taking its support a step further. The initiative has empowered five savings groups to establish their own stove and briquette production facilities. To make this possible, WCI provided match lending at a ratio of 4:1, giving each group the financial boost needed to purchase essential materials and equipment that would otherwise be out of reach. Beyond financing, WCI also guides the groups in marketing and selling their products, helping them build sustainable livelihoods while promoting cleaner, more affordable energy solutions. WCI itself has been able to take this exciting new step in its growth journey thanks to support from Ashden and other key partners.

In the Bidi Bidi settlement WCI’s initiatives to promote clean cooking technology are transforming both lives and the environment. Households are moving away from their heavy reliance on firewood and charcoal, a shift that is already reducing deforestation and desertification in Yumbe District.

Over the course of a twelve-month grant period, the five savings groups supported by WCI have produced and sold 5,000 clean cookstoves and 50,000 kg of briquettes. This has not only helped families save time and money on cooking and fuel but also improved household health by reducing smoke exposure. For the savings groups, the project created a reliable source of income. What began as a collective effort to access clean energy has grown into a sustainable livelihood, creating jobs and empowering members to see energy entrepreneurship as part of their everyday routine.

Success Factors

The success of WCI so far can be traced to a thoughtful blend of strategic choices, deep community trust, and timely support. The founder’s strong relationships with both refugee and host communities have fostered confidence in the initiative, ensuring that the services provided remain relevant and responsive to real needs on the ground. Strategic decisions such as training groups in the production of energy-saving stoves and briquettes, establishing reliable production units, and creating a platform to promote local businesses have filled critical gaps in energy access while also contributing to environmental conservation. Just as importantly, timely funding has played a key role, enabling the purchase of essential equipment and supporting outreach efforts to fuel the organisation’s growth.

Future Plans and Support Needs

Looking ahead, WCI envisions growing and sustaining the business by expanding access to loan-matching opportunities for additional groups, enabling greater production of clean energy solutions within both refugee and host communities. The plan includes increasing the number of supported groups, scaling up production units, and strengthening the local marketplace so that small businesses can thrive.

To bring this vision to life, additional support will be essential. This includes funding for equipment and technical expertise to boost production capacity, strategic partnerships with NGOs and technology firms to enhance innovation and reach, and policy support to create an enabling environment for operations in refugee and host settings. With these elements in place, WCI can scale its impact, delivering cleaner energy, stronger livelihoods, and a more sustainable future for the communities it serves.

About the Founder

Jane Dawa, a dedicated social worker, was forced to flee her home in 2016 when war broke out in South Sudan. Since then, she has rebuilt her life in Uganda, where she has lived for the past nine years. Today, Jane resides in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Yumbe District (Zone 3), one of the largest refugee settlements in the world. Despite the challenges of displacement, her professional background in social work continues to inspire her commitment to supporting and uplifting her community.