Aid Pioneers – Who They Are and What They Do

Aid Pioneers was founded by a group of young individuals who recognised an urgent, unmet need to rapidly mobilise resources in the aftermath of disasters. The organisation began by delivering critical medical supplies to Lebanon following the Beirut port explosion in 2020. It was then that the team identified a gap in the development chain—and an opportunity to leverage local organisations and knowledge to drive swift, lasting change.

Aid Pioneers is grounded in the belief that sustainable change is driven by those who live closest to the challenges. By empowering local leaders and equipping them with the tools they need, Aid Pioneers helps scale their impact in regions where access to medical care, education and reliable energy remains limited. Through its strategic network of private suppliers and partners, the organization dismantles structural barriers that often prevent access to global resources – making humanitarian efforts more effective, scalable, and responsive to local needs.

Aid Pioneers focuses on two core areas: delivering life-saving medical aid supplies and providing sustainable solar energy solutions to hospitals, clinics, and schools in crisis regions such as Ukraine, Syria, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Uganda. In its Clean Energy Program, the organization installs high-quality solar systems to replace expensive and polluting diesel generators, enabling uninterrupted power for critical services. This not only strengthens healthcare and education systems but also reduces emissions and enables long-term cost savings that are reinvested into patient care and learning opportunities.

What NEF Does with AidPioneers

In 2025 NextEnergy foundation is supporting Aid Pioneers initiative “Solar energy for the Karat Hospital in Ethiopia”, a significant initiative aimed at improving healthcare access and promoting social welfare in the Karat region of southern Ethiopia. The selected hospital is designed to serve approximately 700,000 people within the hospital’s catchment area, including some of the most vulnerable populations: around 20,000 refugees and internally displaced persons affected by civil conflict, approximately 100,000 children under the age of five suffering from malnutrition, and about 30,000 elderly individuals facing disabilities and poverty.

At the heart of the project is the installation of a 132 kWp solar energy system at the Karat Hospital, which currently relies solely on an unreliable diesel generator. This upgrade will enable the hospital to perform an estimated 270,130 additional medical treatments over the next 20 years. The availability of consistent and safe electricity will significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to deliver life-saving care, thereby expanding access to essential health services for the local community.

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with two local organizations—ForAfrika Ethiopia and the Konso Development Association—both of which are deeply rooted in the region and actively engaged in health, education, and climate resilience. Their involvement ensures not only the sustainability of the project but also strengthens local ownership and capacity building, as these partners bring valuable experience and trust within the community. The EON foundation is supporting the project through funding alongside the NextEnergy Foundation.

Beyond healthcare, the project also contributes to climate justice. By replacing diesel fuel with solar power, it is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 2,045 tonnes over two decades. This transition to clean energy not only fosters healthier living conditions but also raises awareness about sustainable, climate-neutral lifestyles in underserved areas.

Ultimately, the project is designed to be scalable and replicable. It incorporates a repayment-based financing model that reinvests cost savings into future solar initiatives, and it leverages partnerships with local networks that can extend the impact to other hospitals and schools. Through this holistic approach, the project not only addresses immediate social and environmental challenges but also lays the groundwork for long-term, systemic change.

Installation completion is scheduled by the end of 2025.