The Portuguese company EDP Renováveis revealed that, as part of the implementation of the 7th edition of the “Fundo 2AE (Access to Energy)” program, a record 219 applications have already been received from Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, and Nigeria, including Brazil for the first time.
According to a Lusa report, the initiative aims to support projects that promote access to energy in underprivileged communities in Africa, and for this 7th edition, which also covers Brazil, “organizations headquartered anywhere in the world were eligible as long as their scope of activity is in one of the covered countries.” The winners will be announced in the last quarter of this year.
“The fact that we have received more applications compared to previous editions sends us two important signals: on one hand, it reveals that there is still much to be done to bring clean and affordable energy to all, and on the other, it shows that more and more people and organizations are aligned with our commitment to promote positive and lasting changes,” said Vera Pinto Pereira, EDP’s board member. She stated that worldwide, one in eleven people still live without access to electricity, and around two billion people lack access to potable water. “It was with the goal of helping change this reality that we created the Fundo A2E.”
Vera Pinto Pereira highlighted that more than financial support, the initiative is a genuine commitment to improving living conditions in communities and to the transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive future. “We believe access to energy should be a fundamental right, not a privilege,” she concluded.
Since its launch in 2018, the Fundo 2AE has received over 900 applications and financed a total of 47 projects in Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, with support amounting to 4.5 million euros, helping improve the lives of more than 8 million people directly and indirectly.
Among the selected projects, the company highlighted three in the health sector that will enable the electrification of rural clinics and maternity wards, ensuring continuous care and better emergency response.
In education, two interventions stand out in primary schools and training centers for girls, with broad impacts on education, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. EDP also mentioned two initiatives combining health and education, supporting displaced populations and children with disabilities, as well as community projects aimed at improving quality of life through access to lighting and potable water.
Source: Diário Económico
