Climate Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Energy should be accessible, affordable and clean for everyone. We are a Mexican Certified B-Corporation whose purpose is to provide energy access to all families. In ilum xico we¬¥re constantly working towards SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy, specifically targeting objective number 1: ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. We promote permanent energy services for more than 109,000 users living in off-grid communities, creating structural change and opportunities for low-income families, simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions. This throughout a sustainable business model that promotes permanent solar-as-a-service solution, a last-mile service model, remote system-monitoring and financial inclusion for our users.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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Lul√∫ is a young woman from Cerro Liquid mbar, a rural community in Oaxaca, who we met while carrying out a project in alliance with SEDESOH (Ministry of Welfare of the State of Oaxaca) in 2014, installing 25W solar home systems (including Lul√∫¬¥s family). Lul√∫ stood out since the beginning: she was- and still is- a very passionate and smart woman, always looking for ways to improve herself and provide new growth opportunities for her family and her community. We hired her as part of our local staff in 2015, and nowadays, she¬¥s grown into being in charge of 276 clients and owning a 325W solar home system. 

In Ilum xico, we are always looking for strategies and ways to integrate and consider the participation of women in economic activities, such as Lulu., Therefore, , we aim to create job opportunities for women and promoting gender equality throughout all the entire business model: recruiting possible local technicians, promoting women inclusion in gender-based jobs that are generally given to men, to potentially provide energy access to women-led local businesses, which promotes financial gender equality and triggers women empowerment in rural off-grid communities. Furthermore, most of the local small businesses in the communities are owned and run by women, which is why through our business model we empower them to grow and increase their earnings and have formal job opportunities such as our Payment Agents, who are key actors in our business model. 

Also, our last mile service model is administered by our Local Staff operating out of our Field Offices (ilucentros), that prioritizes the customer experience of the remote, dispersed, isolated, unbanked, and disconnected customer‚Äîthose overlooked by traditional business models. When recruiting potential local technicians, we offer specialized trainings and certification courses so the knowledge they gain during their time with us, gives them the opportunity and experience to work within the energy sector. This enables formal job opportunities for local youth from the communities we work in, averting them from joining organized crime or migrating to other regions; allowing, a straightforward and transparent communication with our customers, since most of them speak an indigenous language, creating a trustworthy relationship with them. 

We also provide gender equality workshops for our team members and staff. We have policies and procedures (written and verbal), where we provide regulations about gender equality, and we encourage people to report any activity or event that can attempt against human integrity.