In the quiet corners of Zimbabwe, where entrepreneurial spirit is strong but access to power is weak, a transformation is quietly underway.

At dusty roadside stalls, in village workshops, and inside makeshift salons humming with the sound of ingenuity, a new kind of energy is beginning to flow. Not just solar energy, but the kind of energy that powers dignity, opportunity, and change.

At the heart of it all? A partnership grounded in innovation, inclusion, and impact.

A New Chapter in Inclusive Energy Access

At Zimbabwe Microfinance Fund (ZMF), we’ve always believed that access to finance should be a right, not a privilege. So when we joined forces with SoshoPay, the tech-savvy financial arm of Youth Economic Capital (YEC Fund), the alignment was natural. Our missions matched. The urgency was shared.

Together, we’ve launched a bold initiative: “SoshoPay Virtual Solar Grids for MSMEs in Zimbabwe.”

And it’s more than just a project. It’s a movement.

Reimagining Power

Zimbabwe’s informal sector isn’t small, it’s the backbone of the economy. But for many MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), power outages, unreliable grids, and the high cost of energy are daily barriers.

So we’re doing something different.

We’re financing modular solar nanogrids, think clean, powerful systems from 5 to 40kVA, that bring reliable energy directly to the entrepreneurs who need it most. Whether it’s a rural welding shop, a mobile food vendor, or a tailoring business, SoshoPay’s Energy-as-a-Service model puts power literally into their hands.

And with ZMF’s co-financing commitment of €80,000, we’re helping lease this equipment to last-mile MSMEs on flexible, affordable terms.

No hefty upfront costs.
No paperwork nightmares.
Just clean power, paid for as it’s used: Pay-As-You-Go.

Smart Tech. Real Impact.

What makes this model powerful isn’t just solar panels, it’s technology that meets people where they are.

SoshoPay’s platform uses IoT-enabled smart meters, GSM-based remote control, and real-time digital credit scoring. Every payment builds a digital footprint. Every transaction becomes a step toward formal financial inclusion.

These aren’t just energy leases, they’re stepping stones to creditworthiness, to growth, to investment-readiness.

In essence, we’re not just powering equipment, we’re powering financial identities.

Why This Matters To All of Us

This is the kind of change that multiplies.

When a rural grocery store gets steady power, food stays fresh, sales increase, and kids eat better. When a seamstress upgrades her machine with clean energy, she can take bigger orders, earn more, and reinvest in her family.

And when MSMEs thrive, entire communities rise with them.

This is about more than finance. More than technology. It’s about rewriting the future.

A Call to Be Part of the Movement

We didn’t enter this partnership because it was easy. We did it because it was necessary. Because the gap between potential and prosperity in Zimbabwe is too wide. And because we believe it can be closed with the right partners, the right tools, and a commitment to equity and innovation.

If you’re an investor, a policymaker, a development partner, or simply someone who believes in fair chances, we invite you to watch this space. Or better yet, to join the movement.

Because this is only the beginning.

With SoshoPay, we’re building something that can scale. That can last. That can change lives.

We are ZMF. And together with SoshoPay, we’re lighting up possibility,  one virtual grid, one MSME, and one clean, financed future at a time