Solar Mtaani

What Solar Mtaani does

Solar Mtaani is a Kenya-based non-profit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered in Nairobi, with operations spanning seven geographies — Nairobi, Kiambu, Busia, and Kisumu counties, plus Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kilifi, and Kajiado County. The organization delivers solar energy training, advocacy, and off-grid solar installations to underserved populations, including youth from informal settlements (Kibera, Mathare, Dandora, Kayole), teenage mothers, rehabilitation-centre youth, widows, and refugees. Its portfolio consists of three core programs: the Installers Academy (vocational training preparing participants for National Industrial Training Authority certification and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority licensing as solar photovoltaic technicians), Rays of HOOP (grassroots awareness plus solar lantern distribution to vulnerable households), and Solar Soko (livelihoods support organizing women into self-help groups operating solar micro mills, kiosks, and solar-powered sewing machines). A women-focused sub-program, the Dala Edition, operates in Kisumu.

The underlying technology is hands-on solar PV training and field installation of off-grid systems, supported by distribution of solar lanterns to energy-poor households. Reported outputs include 3,000+ people informally trained, 234 students formally trained of whom 159 are NITA-certified, 300+ solar lanterns distributed, 7.7MW installed during student internships, and 45 women organized into self-help groups. Distribution occurs directly through community-based programs, partnerships with rehabilitation centres, schools, women's groups, and refugee camp administrators — not through commercial retail channels.

The business model is non-commercial: Solar Mtaani is funded by donations, grants, and charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and institutional donors. No pricing model, commercial revenue, or earned-income stream is disclosed. The organization is led by Founder and Executive Director Wambui Njoroge, governed by a board chaired by Bernhardus van Hoof, and staffed by approximately 30 employees including coordinators, trainers, and administrative functions.

Name

Solar Mtaani

Legal name

Solar Mtaani

Website

https://solarmtaani.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solar Mtaani is a Kenya-based non-profit that trains marginalized youth, women, and refugees in solar photovoltaic technology and installs off-grid solar systems across seven counties and Kakuma Refugee Camp, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Training & Community Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS) (EUAMABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Solar energy training
• Off-grid solar installation
• Vocational solar certification
• Clean energy access
• Renewable energy nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a non-profit organization, Solar Mtaani operates primarily through donations, grants, and charitable funding from individuals, foundations, and institutional donors. No revenue-generating commercial activities are described.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Solar Mtaani is a Kenyan non-profit that delivers hands-on solar photovoltaic training and certification, distributes solar lanterns, and installs off-grid solar systems for marginalized communities. It also supports women-led income-generating activities powered by solar technology through self-help groups. The portfolio spans three interconnected programs — Installers Academy (training), Rays of HOOP (awareness and lamp distribution), and Solar Soko (livelihoods).

Product overview

Solar Mtaani is a non-profit organization that operates as a platform of interconnected programs focused on solar energy access, training, and community empowerment in Kenya. The core portfolio includes the Installers Academy (vocational training for solar technicians), Rays of HOOP (grassroots awareness and solar lamp distribution), and Solar Soko (livelihoods through solar-powered income-generating activities). These programs work together to provide a complete pathway from awareness and access (Rays of HOOP) through skills development and certification (Installers Academy) to entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods (Solar Soko). The Dala Edition is a women-specific training initiative that complements the Installers Academy by targeting female learners in Kisumu. Solar Mtaani also distributes physical products including solar lanterns and off-grid solar installations to underserved communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dala Edition: A dedicated solar training programme for women in Kisumu, focused on practical solar technology training to open pathways to entrepreneurship, household energy access, and community leadership.

Products and services

• Installers Academy A vocational training program that equips participants — primarily youth from informal settlements and rehabilitation centres — with practical skills for the solar energy sector. Prepares participants for certification by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and licensing by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
• Rays of HOOP An awareness and community outreach program that raises awareness of solar technology among marginalized and vulnerable communities through informal training, advocacy, and distribution of solar lamps. Aims to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and improve living standards at the grassroots level.
• Solar Soko A livelihoods program that creates employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the solar sector, particularly for youth and women. Organizes women into self-help groups to run income-generating activities powered by solar technology, including solar micro mills, solar kiosks, and solar-powered sewing machines.
• Dala Edition A dedicated solar training program for women launched in Kisumu, providing practical solar technology training that opens pathways to entrepreneurship, household energy access, and community leadership.
• Women-Only Solar Training Initiative A dedicated initiative under the Installers Academy that trains women and teenage mothers in solar photovoltaic technology, designed to open doors into a sector where women remain underrepresented and create pathways to socio-economic independence.
• Solar Lanterns Solar-powered lamps distributed at no cost to vulnerable and marginalized groups including women refugees, widows, and schools without access to clean energy.
• Off-Grid Solar Installations Off-grid solar installations delivered to communities in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kilifi, Kajiado County, and schools lacking access to clean energy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ solar lanterns distributed
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SolarAid: SolarAid is a UK-based non-profit tackling energy poverty through solar lighting distribution and training in Africa. It directly compares to Solar Mtaani's Rays of HOOP-style solar lamp distribution paired with informal training.
• Solar Sister: Solar Sister is a women-led solar distribution and entrepreneurship non-profit operating across sub-Saharan Africa. It shares Solar Mtaani's women-centric mission, last-mile solar product distribution, and grassroots entrepreneurship model in underserved communities.
• Barefoot College International: Barefoot College trains rural and marginalized community members — including grandmothers and refugees — to become solar engineers. It is one of the closest analogs to Solar Mtaani's training-and-certification pathway for vulnerable populations.

Emerging players

• Camfed: Camfed educates and empowers marginalized girls in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya. While not solar-focused, Camfed's target demographic of vulnerable young women parallels Solar Mtaani's Dala Edition and women-focused programming.
• Self Help Africa: Self Help Africa runs livelihood and entrepreneurship programmes for rural African women and smallholder farmers. Its economic-empowerment focus and East African footprint align with the Solar Soko income-generation model.

Regional players

• African Clean Energy: African Clean Energy manufactures and distributes clean cookstoves and solar products in Southern and East Africa. It is comparable to Solar Mtaani in addressing household energy access for low-income African populations.

Broad incumbents

• BBOXX: BBOXX is a UK-based pay-as-you-go solar home systems provider operating across East Africa, including Kenya. It competes for the same last-mile off-grid solar customers Solar Mtaani serves in informal settlements and rural counties.
• BRAC: BRAC is one of the largest development non-profits in the world and operates vocational training and empowerment programmes across multiple African countries. Its skills-and-livelihoods orientation and target population of marginalized women and youth overlap materially with Solar Mtaani's model.
• Greenlight Planet (Sun King): Sun King / Greenlight Planet is a major global pay-as-you-go solar company with deep distribution in Kenya. It shares Solar Mtaani's target end-user (off-grid low-income households) but operates a commercial scale distribution model.
• d.light: d.light designs, manufactures, and distributes affordable solar energy products across Africa and Asia. It is a broad incumbent in off-grid solar with a much larger commercial footprint than Solar Mtaani's community-based model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solarmtaani

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar Mtaani