iShack

The iShack project is a social enterprise in South Africa that provides pay-for-use solar power units to informal settlements, specifically in Enkanini, to improve living conditions, create local jobs, and reduce reliance on hazardous energy sources.

• The iShack project utilizes Solar Home Systems to provide electricity for lighting, mobile phone charging, and energy-efficient appliances like LED TVs, radios, and fridges in informal settlements. The project is operated by the Sustainability Institute Innovation Lab and is supported by 'iShack Agents' who live within the community and receive weekly training for installation and maintenance.
• The project has achieved specific quantitative outcomes in the Enkanini community, including the installation of 1,026 solar systems resulting in 92,556 kWH/year saved, the creation of 11 jobs for shanty dwellers, and the improvement of 3,000 lives. Additionally, the project secured a free basic electricity municipal grant and raised R 182,000 in external finance.
• Financial support for the project included initial funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and an additional 17 million rand from South Africa’s Green Fund. The Green Fund's development and evaluation were supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German International Climate Initiative (IKI) and the South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

APA

Green Economy Coalition (2019). iShack. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/ishack-solar-electricity-for-south-african-shanty-towns

Chicago

Green Economy Coalition. iShack. 2019. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/ishack-solar-electricity-for-south-african-shanty-towns.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Economy Coalition |title=iShack |date=14 February 2019 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/ishack-solar-electricity-for-south-african-shanty-towns |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greeneconomycoalition2019ishack, author = {{Green Economy Coalition}}, title = {{iShack}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2019}, month = feb, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/ishack-solar-electricity-for-south-african-shanty-towns}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }