Practical Action(PA) is a registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
Practical Action Eastern Africa Regional Office has been delivering technology as its niche in the region for over 25 years. Throughout the period, PA has leveraged best practices that yield high impact at scale into programmes.
PA works towards three goals, one of which is that “Universal access to energy will increase access to modern energy services for cooking, lighting, communication and productive uses for poor households in Eastern Africa.”
In addition to their energy orientated Goal, they consider three cross-cutting themes. These include: Gender and social Inclusion, Climate Change and Market Systems Development.
With expertise on energy in East and Southern Africa, they can convene African energy practitioners, professionals,researchers, investors and policy makers from Africa who have a long-term interest in the development of cleaner energy services for Africa as well as energy research/capacity building and the attendant policy-making process.
Our Work Team
Tameezan wa Gathui
Tameezan wa Gathui is an energy practitioner with over 25years’ experience working in renewable energy in both the private and development sectors in Kenya. She is currently the energy portfolio coordinator in Practical Action Consulting, the development consultancy arm of the Practical Action Regional Office in Eastern Africa. Her areas of specialization include solar photovoltaics and bioenergy. Her work experience encompasses project conceptualization, project design, project management, training, fund raising and policy engagement. She is currently responsible for managing action research projects and consultancy assignments in PAC EA focusing on improved household energy access in low income households in Kenya. Her solar PV portfolio comprises system design, equipment specification and procurement; installation supervision; technical and end-user training, system performance monitoring, maintenance and repair and financing of renewable energy solutions for households, communities and small businesses. Her experience in bioenergy includes design and implementation of qualitative household energy baseline assessments; conducting action research; use of participatory approaches in bioenergy market development and grassroots policy engagement. She has shared lessons and experiences from Kenya with renewable energy stakeholders in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, India, Peru, Spain and the UK, and is networked with key stakeholders in the renewable energy sector in Kenya
Denyse Umubyiye
Denyse Umubyiye has 8 years’ experience in Finance, Administration, Customer Care and Marketing in Rwanda. Her expertise includes establishment of accounting and administration systems; guidance and counselling, business planning; proposal development; action planning and staff management. Based in Kigali, Denyse is the finance and administration officer in Practical Action Consulting in Rwanda, where she has also been responsible for providing strategic support to PAC’s energy and market development portfolio of work in Rwanda. This includes support to biomass household energy project implementation work in Rwanda including the development and dissemination of improved household Cookstoves in urban and rural areas of Rwanda, where she was involved in financial and personnel management, executive decision-making, strategic business planning as well as project management. Denyse possesses good negotiation, problem solving and networking skills that have enabled her built effective and productive partnerships with key clients and associates in Rwanda over the years. Denyse enjoys challenges, and developing and implementing practical solutions that meet varied unique needs.
Hannah Wanjiru
Hannah Wanjiru works with Practical Action Consulting, Eastern Africa Regional Office as an Energy Projects specialist. She has technical background and 6 years of project experience in the energy, environment and climate change field in Kenya, with expertise in design and evaluation of development projects, livelihoods assessment, policy development, resources and community mobilization in addition to impact studies and technical training.Her skills also include Resources Assessment; Environmental Impact Assessment/ Auditing; Household cooking, Environmental Law and Natural Resource Management and & Community Development.In PAC she has supported delivery of projects on Sustainable Charcoal Production, Bioenergy, Bioethanol, Gender, Advocacy Strategy Development and Energy Market System Assessment.Hannah has engaged in policy development and international standards development as a member of the East Africa Bioenergy Technical Committee. She has shared experiences with practitioners in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Sri Lanka.She holds a BSC Degree in Environmental Studies and is currently finalizing a research on “Commercialization strategy for small energy technologies in Kenya” for a degree award in MSC Energy Technology.
Patrick Mwanzia
Patrick Mwanzia works with Practical Action Eastern Africa Regional Office in Kenya. I have been working in development sector in Kenya for the last sixteen years, engaged by various development agencies in both rural and urban contexts. I have contributed in delivering projects in action research, agri-business, Pro-poor financing in development, waste management, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), networking for strategic partnerships in project delivery with public and private institutions . I joined Practical Action – Eastern Africa Office in Kenya early in 2005. Currently, I am a Senior Project Officer, managing Energy and Urban Services Programme in Nakuru County region in Kenya. I am a graduate of University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Sociology and Geography. In further hold a postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) in sustainable urban water and sanitation qualification from Lund University, in Sweden. I am currently pursuing a postgraduate Master of Science degree in Education for Sustainability (MSc in EfS) at London South Bank University (LSBU), UK through distance learning. My development interests are in integrated development processes, market led poverty reduction development initiatives, action research, monitoring and evaluation and initiatives that address climate change issues in development.
Peter Murigi
Peter Murigi is a water resource expert/water and sanitation Engineer with over 16 years’ experience. He is a registered Engineer with 16 years of professional experience. These include experience in site investigation, feasibility/preliminary studies, detailed design studies, tender documentation, pre-qualification of contractors, project supervision and contract management of civil engineering projects. In addition, he has also been managing water, sanitation, hygiene and solid waste management projects in urban areas.
Peter is a registered Technical Committee member of International Standard Organization (ISO) and Kenya Bureau of Standard (KBS) supporting in standardization of water and sanitation designs under Technical Sanitation Group 244.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) and Master of Science (Environmental Health Engineering) from University of Nairobi.
