The Developing Energy Enterprise Project is an EU funded programme involving six of GVEP International’s partners, EAETDN, the Aga Khan Foundation’s Coastal Rural Support Project, Kenya, IT Power East Africa, Emerging Market Economics-Africa, Practical Action East Africa and Gender and Energy Research and Training. The kick off meeting was held in Kampala in March 2008, and the first follow up session was in Nairobi at the end of April.

The GVEP International led initiative brings together private sector expertise, community mobilisation and business management in the development of private businesses, from their inception as ideas in villages to established energy service providers and employers.

The programme will be run by our local partners, and by a locally sourced GVEP International East African regional manager. In such a way, programme coordinators can best assist enterprises to respond to the needs and market opportunities in the area.

DEEP will assist entrepreneurs through training and mentoring to develop business plans and then access the financing to put them into practice. Post-investment, DEEP will continue to provide management mentoring services in accounting, strategy planning, marketing and legal issues relevant for businesses to survive and grow sustainably.

For more information on the DEEP project, please contact Kavita Rai at infodeep@gvep.org.