As part of our Women in Power series, we are celebrating the remarkable leaders driving the Pacific and Timor-Leste’s clean energy transition.
In Vanuatu, installing solar power at a rural health facility is just the start. The system still has to be the right size, kept well maintained and able to meet the facility’s needs for years to come. As REnew Pacific’s Portfolio Manager for Vanuatu, Lindah Keremoi-Elton helps make sure it does.
Based in Port Vila, Lindah works closely with implementing partners, provincial governments and local communities to coordinate renewable energy projects across the country. She brings years of experience in community-based development to the role, having seen firsthand how limited access to electricity can affect healthcare, education and livelihoods.
Seeing these challenges inspired Lindah to pursue a career in renewable energy. She joined REnew Pacific just over a year ago, marking her first role in the sector. “What I enjoy most is seeing the direct impact that renewable energy has on people’s lives,” she says. “Whether it’s a health facility improving its services or a community accessing power and water for the first time, these projects create lasting benefits.”
Two projects in her portfolio show what that looks like on the ground. The first, delivered by Respond Global with Vanuatu’s National Green Energy Fund, brought reliable solar power to 41 remote health facilities across all six provinces, through a mix of new and refurbished off-grid systems. The team reached some of the country’s most isolated communities aboard its HELPR-1 mobile health and logistics vessel. Completed in December 2025, it was the first REnew Pacific project to finish, improving healthcare access for more than 80,000 people and giving clinics the power to store vaccines safely and handle emergencies at night.
The second, led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), is now underway, bringing solar-powered water pumping systems and reliable electricity to 9 communities across Santo, Paama, Tanna and Malekula. It will improve water security for more than 5,100 people and power 24 health centres and schools, with local community members trained in system maintenance and financial management so the benefits last.
Outside her work with REnew Pacific, Lindah is also a farmer and entrepreneur. “About four years ago, I started a farm and then I wanted to do a juice bar,” she recalls. Growing her own fruit and root crops, she opened a juice bar at the airport, selling fresh juices and smoothies. When she realised her products needed a longer shelf life, she began exploring food dehydration, eventually shifting her business towards producing powdered products. “I no longer do fresh juice anymore,” she explains. “I now produce the powder and then you can just mix it with water.”
With her farm located off-grid, solar energy has become part of her own business operations. The experience has given her a personal understanding of the practical challenges faced by women, farmers and small business owners across Vanuatu, reinforcing the importance of reliable energy in supporting rural livelihoods.
Alongside this understanding of the challenges facing rural communities, Lindah’s first year in renewable energy has reinforced the importance of women’s participation in a traditionally male-dominated sector. She has seen women taking on both leadership and technical roles, strengthening her belief in the value of diverse perspectives. “Working in this sector has taught me the importance of confidence and collaboration,” she says. “I have learned that diverse perspectives lead to stronger outcomes and that women have an important role to play.”
It has also shaped her view of what the industry needs next. She wants to see businesses and stakeholders create opportunities for women at every level, from community engagement to technical and leadership roles, backed by mentorship and training in workplaces designed to include them.
Her message to young women is to back themselves, even when a career path looks unfamiliar. “Believe in your abilities and don’t be afraid to pursue opportunities in fields that may seem challenging or unfamiliar,” she says. “Your voice matters and your contribution can make a real difference.”
Looking ahead, Lindah plans to continue supporting renewable energy initiatives across Vanuatu while developing her food-processing business. After a year in the sector, she sees clean energy as something larger than infrastructure.
“Clean energy powers more than homes or communities,” she says. “It powers opportunities.”
Lindah’s story is part of REnew Pacific’s broader work providing clean, renewable energy to power healthcare, education and essential services across Vanuatu and the Pacific.
Learn more about REnew Pacific’s projects in Vanuatu:
Across the region, women are stepping into roles that are reshaping how energy is generated, managed and shared. Their leadership is powering homes, schools and businesses with clean energy, building stronger, more resilient communities and showing what an inclusive energy future looks like.
We’re proud to showcase some of these remarkable leaders through our Women in Power series, which highlights women powering change through REnew Pacific.
