23 MARCH 2023

Celebrating Women breaking barriers in the energy and power sector in the Southern African Power Pool

The month of March celebrates International Women’s Day; AWEaP created a platform to recognize women in the Southern African Power Pool who are advancing energy access in the region.

These women are breaking barriers in Africa’s energy and power sector. They gave testimonies on navigating access to markets, finance, technology, skills development and networks.

Our platinum sponsor Rockwell Automation gave a detailed presentation on the Southern African region’s technology and channel partnership programme.

We were also delighted to host Distil Inclusion which elaborated on findings conducted in a recent report on Female entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy. The presentation focused on building the business case for women’s inclusive financing in last-mile renewable energy markets.

The webinar was also fortunate enough to have the United Nations, South Africa, which highlighted opportunities focused on unlocking women’s economic empowerment in the region. As well as concentrating on opening economic opportunities and increasing women participation in various value chains.

However, the highlight was the testimonials from entrepreneurs from the region. Many of these women have made their mark in the energy and power sector particularly in countries like Angola, Tanzania, Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique. These energy entrepreneurs shared their journey and what they did to pave the way to unlock opportunities for themselves. For many, the road was not easy, with many closed doors, but perseverance and restraint showed hard work indeed pays off. The energy entrepreneurs showcased businesses they started to eradicate gender equality and empower women through various opportunities. The entrepreneurs shared presentations that highlighted various initiatives like:

  • Sustainable Energy Supply and Services
  • Energy Efficiency and Conservation
  • Sustainable Energy for All
  • Equitable and Inclusive Energy Access
  • Promotion of Private Sector Participation
  • Good Governance in Energy Services
  • Empower low income women with knowledge and skill in briquettes production
  • Provide services in renewable energy technologies

At AWEaP, we collaborate with multiple stakeholders in the energy ecosystem to secure support for women-owned and women-led companies.

Our theme for 2023 is: Together, we can make inclusion in Africa’s energy and power sector a competitive edge.

The following stakeholders were invited to share insights on the construct of energy value chains and opportunities emerging as countries endeavour to achieve security of energy supply:

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs):

Our monthly webinars include OEMs like Rockwell Automation for the following reasons:

OEMs design and manufacture products, services, solutions and systems sought after by utilities and different large power users in the energy and power sector. We invite them to share trends in electricity system digitisation, decarbonisation and decentralisation. We invite them to showcase how they enable access to technology for SMMEs, especially women owned companies.

Multilateral and Regional Organisations:

Showcase supportive programmes designed and executed in the countries in line with Gender mainstreaming in the energy and power sector. These organisations are made up of three or more countries that collaborate on issues of mutual interest and global importance.

These organisations can use funds from multiple governments to fund a variety of projects.

Women Entrepreneurs’ Testimony:

Entrepreneurship is the capacity and willingness to develop and participate in a business venture with the intention of making a profit regardless of the financial risks involved. The role of entrepreneurship in any economy is critical, as it contributes to the socio-economic development of societies. We invite women led and owned companies to give testimony on how they are navigating the energy sector in their market.

Programme

Content Framework

Webinar 3

Speakers

Introduction

Introduction to AWEaP
Purpose of the webinar and Introduction to the topics

AWEaP

MS. BERTHA DLAMINI
Founding President
African Women in Energy and Power NPC

OEM

Access to Technology
Highlights of Channel Partner Programmes in SAPP

Rockwell Automation

MS. EMILIA GEORGIADES
Account Manager Channel
Rockwell Automation

Finance

Access to Finance, Technology, Skills Development, Market

 Distill Inclusion

MS. INKA SCHOMER
Director
Distill Inclusion

Regional Organisation

Building value-added networks in the workplace  and trading support

African Free Trade Continental Agreement

MR. JOHN ROCHA
Chief Director
Trade Invest Africa Department of Trade,
Industry and Competition (DTCI)
Republic of South Africa

Entrepreneurs Testimony

Entrepreneurial Testimony on access to market, finance, networks and technology:

Breaking barriers
in the Energy Sector:
Lessons and Tips

Malawi

MS. KETTIE MKANDAWIRE
Director
Ndagha Engineers Company

Malawi

MRS. LINDA KANACHE LANJESI
Renewable Energy Engineer
Founder
Ley General Dealers

Tanzania

MS. MERCY CHILUMBA
Director
Anric Gas Technology

Mozambique

MS. EUGÉNIA LANGA
Founder & CEO
Nweba

Lesotho

MS. MATSEPISO MAJORO
Founder & CEO
Mahlaseli Energy

Angola

MS. CELINDA PENA
Director
Circlo voltaico LDA

Regional organisation

Gender Mainstreaming
in Energy and Power
markets

UN Women
Generation Equality

MS. AYANDA MVIMBI
Programme Management Specialist
United Nations

Close

Closing Remarks:
SDG 7
SDG 5
SDG 8

AWEaP

MS. BERTHA DLAMINI
Founding President
African Women in Energy and Power NPC

We encourage you to do the following:

  1. Visit our YouTube channel
  2. Watch previous webinars
  3. Take notes from the presentations given
  4. Note the tips shared on how you can gain entry into the energy and power sector as an entrepreneur
  5. Note programmes in place to address some of the barriers:
    1. Access to market
    2. Access to skills development
    3. Access to finance
    4. Access to technology
  6. Download presentations and listen to the recorded webinar again
  7. Follow through by: visiting websites and taking the initiative to build the network necessary to enable your participation.

Inspiration

"Your purpose becomes your passion. Whatever it is – children, community, family – it is what gets you out of bed every morning and keeps you moving forward, through good times and bad."

Lethabo Motsoaledi

"No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens."

Michelle Obama

“A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves.”

Peggy Sue Khumalo

'The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world."

Charles Malik