RENEWABLE ENERGY DAY AT LENTING VILLAGE FOR YOUTH CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Rural communities in South Africa often lack access to sources of sustainable energy and the associated job opportunities. Alumni TIES participants, Morongwe Malebye and Azizat Olusola Gbadegesin, were awarded an Alumni TIES Small Grant to address this issue in the rural village of Lenting. Their project will act as a catalyst for stakeholder collaboration in addressing challenges faced by the school and larger community. This three-month project is comprised of three-day events, including site visits to local companies, and will culminate in a “Renewable Energy Day” event in Lenting, where a stakeholder charter will be established. The long-term plan of this project is to install solar energy (capacity of a minimum of 500 kilowatts) by 2019 for the rural village of Lenting and surrounding areas through collaboration with strategic stakeholders. Below is their most recent project update.
The need for renewable energy solutions and career guidance has been identified through engagement with the schools and larger community in Lenting village. At the local high school, Chueu-e-kgolo, the recent pass rate has dropped to 34%, where an average of 84% had been achieved between 2013 and 2015. This is the result of a multitude of interwoven challenges faced by the school, including lack of equipment, library resources, computers and wifi, in addition unreliable electricity and other school infrastructure.
The Science and Technology group with facilitator
Ditiropele Green Technologies (DGT), led by Morongwe Malebye, and in collaboration with the schools and Lenting community, successfully organized a three-day program, which culminated in a Renewable Energy Day event in Lenting village on September 16, 2017. This initiated sustainable collaboration among key stakeholders in the district and Limpopo in a united effort to address the needs of the schools and larger community. We were awarded a small grant by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State to kick-start the multi-year program. With support from local institutions and companies, we were able to host a successful Renewable Energy Day and other related project events.
The Arts and English group facilitated by a local filming company
On the first programming day, focused on science, technology, math, commerce (including entrepreneurship), arts, and English-based fields (such as filming and production), we had a career day and offered advice sessions for the learners in Grade 8, 9, 10, and 11. We also opened up the opportunity to unemployed youth in the village. Additionally, we held a demonstration on how solar energy works as part of the day’s activities. The learners were asked to write down their challenges in STEM subjects and the areas where they would like potential mentors to assist them. The unemployed youth in the math and commerce group expressed interest in starting their own solar company.
A solar power demonstration is shown to the Chief
To further improve learning outcomes, the team also donated a science lab kit to the Chueu-e-kgolo school through one of the project sponsors, Wits University’s Mechanical, Industrial, and Aeronautical Engineering Department.
The science lab kit presented to the science teacher and heads of the school
On the second day, we took the learners on site visits to various local business, including those which did solar geyser manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, and nutraceutical processing.
Moringa nutraceutical manufacturing plant
Solar geyser manufacturing plant
On the third day, we launched the Renewable Energy Day, where various speakers from industry, the heads of local schools, alumni, as well as the community leaders gave presentations on their roles, as well as the challenges faced by the schools and larger community. The learners also gave feedback on their experience.
A group of learners who participated in the program
Community members with one of the speakers, Ms. Karabo Morule, MD
The goal of the program and Renewable Energy Day was presented by DGT. The team provided an explanation on the purpose of the stakeholder forum, while highlighting the importance of goal setting for the schools and Lenting community, including having a three-year strategy and key portfolios that will ensure accountability of all stakeholders. Some of the key portfolios are education, skills development, mentoring, and extra tuition infrastructure development. The attendees were requested to indicate which areas they would like to be part of, and whether they would like to be contacted on next steps. This is the beginning of the establishment of the forum, with the next steps to focus on involving and onboarding more local companies and corporations.
Renewable Energy Day launch event















