Dr Hita Unnikrishnan Publishes Poetic Reflections from the Frontlines of Community Energy in East Africa
Dr Hita Unnikrishnan, an assistant professor for the Institute for Global Sustainable Development, has published a collection of poems inspired by her community energy work across Ethiopia, Malawi, and Mozambique. Her poetic chapter appears in the open-access volume Intersectional Climate Justice in Eastern Africa, which is freely available online.
The book, accessible in full via Bloomsbury Open Collections, brings together diverse voices exploring climate justice across Eastern Africa. Dr Unnikrishnan’s contribution – which can be found in Chapter 6 of the volume - presents as a creative bridge between academic research and human expression, chronicling moments from her engagement with community energy initiatives in rural and urban contexts. It reflects deeply on the voices, struggles, hopes, and resilience of people working to build locally grounded energy solutions. The chapter blends verse with insight, offering readers an emotional and intellectual perspective on how communities experience and shape sustainable energy transitions.
Her work emerges from Community Energy and Sustainable Energy Transitions in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Mozambique (CESET) - a multi-institutional research programme funded under the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund. CESET investigates how community-led energy systems can support just, inclusive, and resilient transitions to sustainable energy in countries where access remains a major challenge. The initiative integrates interdisciplinary research with on-the-ground practice to understand how local groups harness collective energy solutions and negotiate barriers to equitable electricity access.
The book’s open access status means readers worldwide can download it at no cost and explore Dr Unnikrishnan’s chapter alongside contributions from scholars, activists, and practitioners engaging with climate justice through both analytic and creative lenses.
Access the full book here. Dr Unnikrishnan’s chapter can also be found here.
