Women Champions in the Energy Sector: Dr. Sabina Anokye-Mensah

She is the founder and CEO of Anomena Ventures, a company that has been instrumental in providing access to clean energy to women in Ghana. Anomena Ventures has been at the forefront of promoting the use of clean cookstoves, particularly among street food vendors and women entrepreneurs. Sabina's journey in the energy sector began when she joined the Gratis Foundation in 1988. As the Gender and Development Coordinator, she traveled throughout Ghana, observing the challenges faced by women in processing food using firewood. She noticed that the women were inhaling smoke, which posed a significant health risk. This experience sparked her interest in the energy aspect of energy projects in Ghana. In 2009, Sabina was engaged by ENERGIA to organize national training workshops on mainstreaming gender in energy projects in Ghana. This experience further solidified her commitment to empowering women through access to clean energy. She established Anomena Ventures in 2010, with the aim of making a direct impact on the lives of women in Ghana. Anomena Ventures has provided LPG gas stoves to over 150 street food vendors and women entrepreneurs, reaching over 5,000 individuals through its gender sensitization workshops and technical training. The company has also partnered with the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) to set up a production center for producing LPG stoves for households. Sabina emphasizes the importance of engaging men in the energy sector, particularly in sensitization and training workshops. She believes that securing the buy-in of husbands and male leaders is crucial for the success of energy projects. Her company's approach has been to provide not only access to clean energy but also to empower women through training and capacity-building. One of Sabina's most notable projects was a project in Abuesi, where women were processing fish using traditional means. With support from UNIFEM, they were provided with equipment to smoke fish using LPG. This project has had a significant impact on the lives of the women, as they are no longer exposed to smoke inhalation and can now process fish more efficiently. Sabina's vision for the future is to increase awareness about the importance of clean energy and to promote policy changes that support the use of clean energy. She also emphasizes the need for institutional gender mainstreaming in the energy sector. Her advice to young women interested in the energy sector is to be patient, learn to deal with problems, and share knowledge to benefit society. Anomena Ventures has made a significant impact on the lives of women in Ghana, providing them with access to clean energy and empowering them through training and capacity-building. Sabina's commitment to promoting clean energy and empowering women has been a driving force behind the company's success.