I made it - but only just...

In East Africa, Renewable World is using renewable energy to help people in remote communities transform their lives. As official charity of EWEA, Renewable World’s work in East Africa and the Songambele project in particular is the focus of the first action for Global Wind Day on 15th June.

Meet our six heroes in green: Jim Watson, Jeremy Burke, Tom Morton, Neil Gunning, Fran Witt and Hayley Court, who took on the Brighton Marathon for Renewable World on 14th April. Between them they raised more than £2,300, for which we would like to thank them all very much indeed.

We all know that wind energy can light homes and businesses, but how about powering ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ through education and information access?

1.3 billion people worldwide have no electricity. Renewable energy systems, like small wind turbines, can bring clean power to the poorest. 

Looking out across healthy, ripe sweet peppers as far as the eye could see in a field in Nicaragua last week made me reflect on how water has the potential to transform poor people’s economic reality. We are often blinkered when it comes to water: just seeing it through the lens of health and sanitation. However, critically it is also a key way for farmers to make money. 

I feel blessed to have helped out with the BBC Lifeline Appeal for Renewable World. It has been a short trip, but we've fitted a lot in! I've been super impressed with the team here - they are absolutely dedicated to the bigger picture of lifting people out of poverty and enabling them to take control of their futures.

Most travellers come here for the breath-taking scenery and challenging peaks (understatement!). But behind this lies a country in which 77% of the population live on less than £1 per day. Not many have electricity, and most communities who live in the mountains often face dangerous and exhausting journeys to fetch essential water.

I recently had the opportunity to accompany a group of access:energy  technicians and engineers on a maintenance trip.