by Michael Kwolek, Research Intern
Last week, I was lucky enough to attend several sessions of Investment Officer meetings after having been with E+Co for only a short while. As an intern, I usually spend my time editing education materials, so having the opportunity to see the E+Co model in action was truly eye opening. It was not only a fascinating first-hand look at how the investment process works, but also an opportunity to interact with the team.
The meetings brought together investment officers from all of the regions we work in – Asia, Africa and Central America. Personally, it was a great way for me to get to know the people I work with in the Bloomfield office as well as the dedicated team E+Co has on the ground throughout the world.
It was inspiring to hear Immanuel Muro, a Tanzania-based Investment Officer, describe how important it is to him that the projects he works on help his country and its citizens prosper. All of the Investment Officers expressed similar views on how important it is that the work they do benefits the communities in which they work.
Additionally, several Investment Officers presented case studies of particular projects they have been working on. Alex Remy, a Costa Rica-based Investment Officer, gave a presentation that included two photos that really struck me as encompassing an interesting dichotomy inherent in many of the companies we work with. The first photo depicted a donkey hauling several solar panels along a rural road for families living off the grid and the second showed rows of solar panels atop a government building in San Salvador. Both were projects of one El Salvador-based solar PV company called SEESA. They work to not only bring electrification to rural families in underserved communities, but also to raise the profile and awareness of PV as a clean alternative source of energy in urban settings.
It was similarly fascinating to hear from Investment Officer Vincent Yankey talk about the improved cookstove industry in Ghana. It was remarkable to be able to actually see one of the simple cookstoves, hand-built from scrap metal and clay, and realize how transformative that one item can be to a family’s way of life. In addition, we learned about the intricacies and difficulties of using carbon finance to fund the growth of a cookstove business.
All in all, it was an inspiring and informative several days for me. I came back to the Bloomfield office with a deeper understanding of the importance of the work E+Co does around the world, and am glad I am able to contribute in some small way.
