Kenya Power

Speeches Shim

Engendering Utilities Partner Profile

Kenya Power is a transmission and distribution utility serving more than 6.7 million customers. In 2018, the utility reported employing more than 8,000 men and approximately 2,000 women. USAID is proud to work with Kenya Power in their commitment to improve gender equality in the energy sector as part of their path to long-term success.

Kenya has one of the most developed power sectors in sub-Saharan Africa, having opened its market to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the mid-1990s. The World Bank estimates that about 56 percent of the Kenyan population have access to electricity, which is generated from a variety of resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro. Kenya is also a part of the Eastern Africa Power Pool, which anticipates eventual connection to the Southern African Power Pool.

Most Kenyan women are educated, with a literacy rate of 74 percent according to GenderGap Africa. Some 64 percent of women participate in the labor force, as reported by the International Labor Organization. However, women remain underrepresented in the energy sector.

USAID is partnering with Kenya Power through the Engendering Utilities program to assist in the development and implementation of their tailored action plan to incorporate gender equity into their business practices. Kenya Power’s HR specialists also took part in Engendering Utilities’ customized Gender Equity Executive Leadership program, in partnership with Georgetown University. The program’s capstone project required participants to address methods to integrate gender equity into the HR employee lifecycle and utilize advanced change management approaches to maximize their company’s cultural evolution. This partnership has resulted in significant and substantial progress toward a gender-equitable future for the company.

USAID’s Engendering Utilities program works with organizations in male-dominated industries to increase economic opportunities for women, improve gender equality, boost business performance, and strengthen economies. Through a customized best practices framework, demand-driven coaching, and a Gender Equity Executive Leadership Program, Engendering Utilities builds the capacity of leaders to implement gender equality interventions that increase the professional participation of women and meet their core business goals.

Launched in 2015, the Engendering Utilities program demonstrates USAID’s commitment to promote a path to self-reliance and resilience in developing countries by fostering enterprise-driven innovation, inclusive economic growth, and gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. Engendering Utilities is a key activity under the U.S. Government’s Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP), which aims to reach 50 million women by 2025 through innovative and effective programs.

Date 
Thursday, February 7, 2019 - 6:00pm