Partnerships

Mlinda is purposefully small in structure . This is in line with our belief that sustainable growth is best achieved through a network of operational and strategic partnerships.

Our projects on the ground rely on like-minded operational partners, who contribute practical skills and connections. Our work at a corporate and institutional level involves strategic partnerships with NGOs and investment companies. We welcome enquiries from organisations interested in applying our work elsewhere potential contributors to existing projects, financial investors, companies and funds who share our perspective and are looking for investors, and anyone with another perspective to share.

Ways to get involved

Become a project partner

Experience in finance, environmental protection or specialist areas is not necessary. The main attributes are strong management and a willingness to learn. We provide technical and financial support and a share of revenues. The objective is for Mlinda to step back over time and let the project partner take full control.
Contact us to find out more.

Invest in a project

All of our projects are run on a for-profit basis and we believe they offer a compelling model for investors. For example, our solar electrification project delivers financial gains to each link in the system: the community, the distribution partners and the investors, who are actively involved in the programme design.
Contact us to find out more.

Replicate a project

We design our projects to be reproduced easily and affordably. Having invested in years of research and development, we encourage others to apply the same model in its entirety, including the promotion of environmental stewardship. If you share that vision, we offer you all the practical support we can.
Contact us to find out more.

Influence and instigate projects

We welcome new perspectives and investment opportunities. We are keen to hear from organisations with established networks in other parts of the world, who can help expand our reach. We also welcome partners who can deepen our understanding of how to change people’s attitudes towards environmental stewardship.
Contact us to find out more.

Why we work with partners

Our partnership model enables us to deliver maximum impact with minimum waste and duplication of resources. It means we can match the right skills to the right project, avoiding the bureaucracy that comes with a larger core team.

‘PARTNERSHIP IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF OUR WORK – IT IS INTEGRAL TO THE WAY WE OPERATE’

2013‘Joint Liability Loan’ financing to pico-grid user groups for capex

2013Technical advice for the pico-grid project in West Bengal and Sundarbans

2014Financial support for the pico-grid project in West Bengal and Jharkhand

2014Revolving credit for the pico-grids

2015Funded first 3 Jharkhand mini-grids (in Narotoli, Sahitoli and Passanga)

2015Funded first 3 Jharkhand mini grids (in Narotoli, Sahitoli and Passanga)

2016Supported planning and standardisation of mini-grids

2016Installation of micro-enterprises to spur socio-economic activities

2015 & 2017Research to identify least electrified villages and funding connections

2015 & 2017Financial support for 8 mini-grids and continued expansion to 50 villages

2016 & 2017Financial support for 8 mini-grids and continued expansion to 50 villages

2017Business model advisory support

2017Study of capital costs for micro-grids and markets analysis for micro-businesses

2018Financial support to scale the mini-grid programme to 50 villages

What we offer

Our team comes from backgrounds in finance, business, government and not-for-profit organisations. We share our combined expertise through training schemes and an open-source manual (currently in development) with step-by-step instructions on setting up and managing a programme. We provide additional technical and management support at a fee to cover our costs. We do not provide grants but do provide a share of the revenues.