The Clean Cooking Alliance (Alliance) is pleased to announce that applications for the 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (WEYA) Award are now open. This annual award recognizes outstanding female leaders in the household energy sector who are advancing clean cooking solutions in emerging markets.

The 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year will receive:

• Sponsorship to attend the 2019 Clean Cooking Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, November 5-7, 2019, including registration, economy airfare to/from Nairobi, and lodging;
• High-level recognition during the Clean Cooking Forum and the opportunity to network with key stakeholders in the sector;
• Financial sponsorship to attend a leading social entrepreneurship development course, such as the five-day Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship at The Stanford Graduate School of Business (pending selected winner’s admission to the program based on eligibility criteria and selection process);
• One-on-one business coaching sessions (up to four sessions) with the Alliance;
• One year of mentoring support from the Alliance and its strategic partners;
• Inclusion in a global clean cooking communications campaign to be launched in November 2019;
• Increased visibility and international recognition via the Alliance’s newsletter, website, social media platforms, and other promotional materials; and
• A professional photoshoot to highlight the winner’s work and impact in the sector.

Last year’s winner, Chebet Lesan, is the founder of BrightGreen Renewable Energy (BrightGreen), a Kenya-based company working to scale access to clean and affordable energy through the production and distribution of charcoal briquettes made from recycled, organic waste.

Currently, 80% of the raw materials used in production are being sourced by women in Kenya. “It’s really exciting to see where [BrightGreen] will go and what it will grow into,” said Lesan.

The nomination process will run through Friday, August 16. Applicants may nominate themselves or nominate others who fit the qualification criteria. To learn more about the nomination process and requirements, please click here. For all inquiries, please contact info@cleancookingalliance.org.

To learn more, please visit the Clean Cooking Alliance website.