12
Women sponsored by SEforALL to attend the Joint Summer School on Modelling Tools for Sustainable Development.
5
Countries across Africa and Latin America represented among sponsored participants.
Context
In 2023, SEforALL’s work with Madagascar, Malawi, and Nigeria revealed geospatial data remains underutilized in government and utilities due to limited capacity in advanced tools and methods. In response, SEforALL co-created and delivered two technical trainings on geospatial data management and its application for electrification and clean cooking access planning, in partnership with ICTP’s Joint Summer School on Modelling Tools for Sustainable Development in Trieste, Italy.
The trainings SEforALL delivers focus on:
- Geospatial clean cooking access modeling with OnStove, an open-source tool that maximizes clean cooking solutions by cost-benefit analysis;
- Geospatial data management for energy access modelling and planning, covering GIS theory, SDI design principles, and data governance; and
- Geospatial least-cost electrification modelling using OnSSET, and open-source tool that identifies the least-cost mix of grid-extension, mini-grids, and SHS to electrify a country or region.
Since 2023, SEforALL has sponsored 12 women from 5 countries, including 11 STEM Traineeship Programme alumni, to attend the Joint Summer School on Modelling Tools for Sustainable Development hosted by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, where they gained critical skills to identify priority areas and least-cost technologies for expanding sustainable energy access.
Results
Programme participants are already translating training into impact. In Kenya, sponsorship recipient Annahstacia Kasyima applied advanced skills with the OnStove geospatial tool to evaluate clean cooking technologies, while underscoring affordability barriers that demand policy action. In Ghana, sponsorship recipient Rejoice Ntiriwaa’s OnStove analysis was published in the International Journal for Sustainable Energy and informed government-led collaborations advancing cookstove quality and awareness. These successes show how the programme empowers professionals to drive evidence-based solutions for universal clean cooking access.
I am grateful to SEforALL for providing me with the opportunity to meet with other participants and industry experts, resulting in lasting memories and a valuable network. I look forward to applying my newfound knowledge in future endeavours, as geospatial data continues to play an increasingly pivotal role in shaping our world.
Jacklyn Armah-Hammond
Project Officer, World Vision (2023)
Following my time at Trieste, I am inspired and motivated to share these tools and insights with others working on clean cooking energy planning across Africa. My experience with OnStove showed me that when science, innovation, and a focus on people come together, even seemingly small actions - like adopting cleaner stoves, tackling stove stacking, or improving data collection - can lead to considerable improvements in health, energy efficiency, and sustainable living for communities.
Janethkareen Kitsovi
STEM Trainee, SEforALL (2025)
