Generamés - Hope Fund
Professional skills
In its first edition, the Hope Fund received over 150 applications, from which more than 10 projects were selected. The chosen entrepreneurs benefited from specialized mentoring aimed at developing expansion strategies for their solutions.
Based on criteria such as social and environmental impact, innovation, scalability, and sustainability, the association Generamés was one of the projects evaluated and selected to receive financial support from the Hope Fund.
Based in and operating in Spain, Generamés, Clean energy + Social inclusion, is a non-profit organization that promotes the energy transition while tackling social exclusion. Their project aims to combat climate change through the installation of renewable energy systems and to promote the social inclusion of young people from care homes and unsupported migrants. It does so by providing training and skills development for the installation of these systems, creating opportunities for integration into the labor market.
Saikoü Balde
In 2015, Saikoü Balde, a young Senegalese man, left his village Saré Djigui in search of better opportunities due to the climate crisis and the lack of prospects that affect his country.
His difficult journey took him through several African countries, where he faced the instability of civil war in Mali, extreme hunger and thirst in Niger, and the constant kidnapping and extorsion threats' of local militias in Libya. Thanks to the support from friends and family, Saikoü was able to work to save money to cross the Mediterranean and reach Italy—physically safe, but deeply affected by the trauma of his journey.
In 2017, he arrived in Barcelona and entered a reception center, where he quickly stood out for his strong work ethic and positive attitude. He learned Spanish, continued his education and in 2022, he was selected for a pilot program to train as a solar panel installer which led him to work at Generamés, through a social insertion contract.
Now, Saikoü wants to give energy back to the village where he departed from.
The project (H)ola Saikoü
With the (H)ola Saikoü project, Saikoü wants to bring energy to Saré Djigui, improving lives and tackling the climate crisis. He aims to put his training and experience to give back to his community, promoting social inclusion, and drive the energy transition, thus coming full circle of his personal and professional journey.
