SELCO Foundation
SELCO Foundation seeks to inspire and implement solutions that alleviate poverty by improving access to sustainable energy to underserved communities across India in a manner that is socially, financially and environmentally sustainable. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in fostering sustainable development through distributed renewable energy (DRE) solutions that empower last-mile communities, improve livelihoods, enhance healthcare and education, and build resilient ecosystems for inclusive growth.
Theory of Change
Inputs
Distributed renewable energy technology (solar, DRE systems)
Knowledge and technical expertise
Local and international partnerships
Funding (grants, CSR, public/private support)
Community engagement and leadership
Research, training, and practical curricula
Activities
Tailoring and deploying energy access models for multiple sectors
Capacity-building for local change agents and entrepreneurs
Piloting and scaling models in diverse geographies (urban, rural, remote, disaster-affected)
Innovating financial, technical, and implementation models with communities and partners
Policy engagement and advocacy for enabling environments
Outputs
Thousands of solar/DRE solutions deployed across sectors (health, education, livelihoods)
Hundreds of sustainable energy enterprises incubated and supported
Millions reached with improved health, education, livelihoods, and shelter
Cross-sectoral guidelines, best practices, and scalable processes documented
Outcomes
Improved quality of life for underserved populations
Long-term poverty alleviation and increased resilience
Replication and adoption of climate-smart and socially inclusive models
Ecosystem strengthening for sustainable development
Programs
1. Livelihoods Powered by Renewable Energy
Enabling inclusive, sustainable livelihoods by catalyzing productive uses of sustainable energy across agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, textiles, micro-businesses, and entrepreneurship for marginalized communities. Focuses on value chain disruption and local ownership through technological, financial, and social innovations.
Sustainable energy technologies (solar, DRE)
Technical expertise in livelihood sectors
Financial resources and partnerships
Community engagement
Local innovation
Sector research
Design need-based energy-driven livelihood solutions
Deploy solar-powered productive equipment (rice hullers, milking machines, roti makers)
Create tailored financing and ownership models
Skill-building for local entrepreneurs and users
Partnership building with financial institutions and technical partners
Deployment of over 175 energy-driven livelihood applications
Solution uptake across agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, and microbusinesses
Increased asset ownership and operational energy efficiency in rural businesses
Training delivered to local entrepreneurs
Improved incomes and job opportunities for marginalized communities
Enhanced resilience through asset creation and local ownership
Disruption and improvement of rural value chains
Alleviation of poverty through sustainable livelihoods
2. Healthcare Energy Access Program
Empowering and optimizing healthcare delivery systems across rural, remote, and urban areas by providing decentralized, renewable energy solutions. Collaboration with policy makers to scale solutions nationally, sustainably powering clinics and enhancing health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Decentralized renewable energy systems
Efficient medical equipment
Financing (public and private)
Technical design and policy support
Training and implementation staff
Power healthcare facilities with solar/DRE systems
Optimize buildings for energy use and climate resilience
Collaborate with ministries for scaling impact
Train service providers and technicians
Powering of 8,000+ healthcare facilities nationwide
Improved delivery of immunization, maternal/child care, and emergency services
Trained health facility staff and local support teams
Reliable, quality healthcare improvements at the last mile
Reduced disease burden, better health outcomes
Sustained access to essential services (vaccine storage, diagnostics, life-saving devices)
3. Education Energy Access Initiatives
Enabling access to quality, inclusive education by deploying sustainable energy solutions for schools, anganwadis, and digital education programs. Focused on last-mile learning, comfort, and inclusive design for marginalized children and vulnerable groups.
Solar and DRE infrastructure for educational institutions
Digital learning devices and curricula
Collaboration with governments and NGOs
Financial resources
Deploy solar-powered and comfortable learning infrastructure
Develop and run digital education programs (eShala, mobile computer vans)
Build and retrofit inclusive and resilient learning environments (anganwadis, bridge schools)
Schools/anganwadis equipped with solar systems
Rollout of digital and inventive education programs
Improved comfort and learning outcomes for students
Increased enrollment, better learning achievements
Inclusive and sustainable educational environments
Bridged digital and energy access divides for vulnerable children
4. Incubation of Local Energy Entrepreneurs
Fostering local, social entrepreneurship in sustainable energy by providing comprehensive incubation services to grassroots innovators and enterprises—especially in under-served and climate-vulnerable regions (notably Northeast India).
Incubation centre, shared resources
Sectoral and practitioner expertise
Innovation funding and working capital
Training programs
Support enterprise development (business modeling, training, investment linkage)
Handhold startups through pilot to scale-up stages
Ecosystem facilitation through partnerships
Local sustainable energy-driven enterprises incubated
Portfolio of context-driven solutions and business models
Replication and scaling of DRE solutions by local entrepreneurs
Increased rural employment and innovation
Strengthened local economic ecosystems
Other Information
Core Values
Equity - Ensuring solutions are accessible and beneficial to the most marginalized.
Inclusivity - Designing and implementing programs with local participation and co-ownership.
Local Ownership - Promoting decentralization and local value-capture.
Innovation - Need-based technological, financial, and social innovation driven by ground realities.
Systems Thinking - Building enabling, cross-sector, and interdisciplinary ecosystems and partnerships.
Transparency and Accountability - Ethical processes and open information flow.
Replication with Contextualization - Scaling through evidence, contextual learning, and empowerment.
Scale
Over 900,000 people improved livelihoods through energy solutions.
4.8 million people gained access to improved health services.
Operating in 12+ Indian states, including vulnerable geographies (NE, Odisha, Karnataka).
8,000+ healthcare facilities powered.
Over 120 innovative solutions and 200+ partners engaged.
Affected Users
Marginalized and underserved communities in India (rural, tribal, urban poor)
Women, children, and people with disabilities
Last-mile entrepreneurs
Smallholder farmers and agricultural workers
Healthcare providers and patients in energy-poor health centers
Students and teachers in off-grid/underserved schools
Geographical Areas
India (nationally, with deep focus on North Eastern Region, Odisha, North Karnataka)
Other Indian states as technical/knowledge partner
Contact Info
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