RENEWABLE ENERGY AS CATALYST TO CHANGING THE LIVES OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING A WIND FARM

Transcription

1 RENEWABLE ENERGY AS CATALYST TO CHANGING THE LIVES OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING A WIND FARM Introduction The primary goal of Africa Foundation for Sustainable Development (AFSD) is to contribute to the socio-economic development of Southern Africa. Since its founding in 2010 AFSD has aligned itself to the principles of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the National Development Plan (NDP) of South Africa, focusing its efforts on implementing sustainable development strategies in communities affected by commercial mining operations. Over time AFSD has diversified its work to include greenfield projects, the turn-around of underperforming projects and Small Medium, Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the mining, renewable energy and agricultural sectors. AFSD has a footprint in South Africa, Mozambique and Zambia. Going glocal : working with global partners in local contexts AFSD has fully embraced goal 8 of the MDGs (global partnerships for development) and is a member of the Global Environmental Facility (the GEF) Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Network. Through this membership AFSD has established a partnership with Southern African CSOs in implementing the GEF mandate to enable global benefits to be realised. The GEF is the largest funder of projects focused on delivering global environmental benefits, uniting 183 countries in partnership with international institutions, CSOs, and the private sector. GEF focuses mainly on issues of land degradation, sustainable forest management, biodiversity, climate change (mitigation and adaptation), international waters, land degradation, chemicals and waste as well as on promoting the rights and privileges of indigenous peoples. AFSD also aims to promote and work within the ambit of international conventions such as: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 1 of 16

2 Aligning its work to MDG 3 (promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women) and MDG 7 (ensuring environmental sustainability), AFSD has recently embarked on energy provision projects with the beneficiaries being rural communities, women and youth. Rural solar electrification has been successful in most of Africa but the cost factor still remains a challenge in South Africa. In order for off-grid solar solutions to be successful in South Africa they need to deliver a commercial benefit, drive behavioural change in energy usage and target the elimination of fatalities caused by shack fires. In response to these challenges AFSD initiated the Energy4All programme with the key objective of developing SMMEs that will be able to market, sell, install, service and maintain solar energy products. The pilot project was funded by the Global Environmental Facility s (GEF) small grants programme, which is administered by the UNDP. In its pilot phase Energy4All offered three days training in solar electrification to emerging entrepreneurs with the aim of equipping them with the business and technical skills to be able to successfully roll out their own solar electrification project. It also gathered ideas from participants to use in addressing commercial and technical problems associated with rural solar electrification. In future participants will be given the opportunity to scope, design and implement their own rural solar project, with additional post-training support being given by AFSD. Figure 1: 3 day Rural Solar Training Programme Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 2 of 16

3 According to, the MD of AFSD, as an outflow of the solar training programme, we aim to develop a turn-key solution that will electrify rural schools. We recently implemented a rural solar electrification project at Dr BW Vilakazi Junior Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. By having access to electricity the pupils are now able to connect to the internet for the first time. Without a viable solar electrification solution this would not have been possible. Figure 2: Dr BW Vilakazi Junior Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal Province AFSD has now developed course material and has screened and selected a range of preferred products. The organisation is confident that its business model for solar electrification has the potential to be sustainable and financially viable. It is the intention of AFSD to replicate and scale up the Energy4All programme in Mozambique and Zambia. ASDF believes that increased inequality, exclusion and uneven development are a real danger for the economies of African countries. Its work in the development and energy sectors aims at transformation and change by providing rural communities with access to electricity as well as the skills to start their own solar electrification Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 3 of 16

4 businesses. This work also has the potential to promote gender equality with many research studies having shown that women, given the correct support, become the pillars of any community. In the case of ASFD s solar electrification project it is anticipated that women will become the main drivers of expansion and replication projects, especially in deep rural communities in South Africa where the men seek employment far from home, e.g. in the mines. Despite some successes and a plethora of policies, strategies and programme interventions at both the MDG and in-country levels, entrenched gender inequalities persist in southern Africa, acting as a deterrent to growth, economic development, employment creation and poverty eradication.. In order to focus on gender as a driver for transformational change, AFDS is in the processes of developing a comprehensive gender equality strategy. AFSD has also recently been appointed by Rubicept, a consortium of companies with a 27MW wind farm facility in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, to manage the entire Corporate Social Investment (CSI) contributions and resultant projects for several communities surrounding the wind farm. According to Ian Curry of Rubicept, we are excited that through our network and that of AFSD we will be able to leverage our collective expertise and deliver even greater impact to our communities. Figure 3: 27MW Wind Farm Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 4 of 16

5 AFSD aims to engage with the GEF and use this as a demonstration/flagship project. We have extensive experience in the mining sector, and we are applying all these learnings to avoid making mistakes in the embryonic stages of the renewable sector of South Africa, says AFSD s Keown who is confident that looking in the rear-view mirror is critical for navigating a pathway through very complex community engagement processes in South Africa. Situational Analysis The following provides a graphical view of the current state of our communities. Community A Playing in water that has washed through the cemetery In desperate need of an Early Childhood Development Centre or just a place to play Playing with a doll in the water Their playground Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 5 of 16

6 Chopping wood for cooking and warmth Community engagement started with a prayer Edmund, community leader and Thabiso from AFSD Community engagement Telco infrastructure and solar light Dwelling gutted by fire Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 6 of 16

7 26 year community, approx. 80 Dwellings Community B Formal housing Soccer field Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 7 of 16

8 Moderate living conditions by comparison to Fitches Corner Community C Typical dwellings Municpal programme to clean-up and also create jobs Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 8 of 16

9 Ineffictive position of solar light tilted away from the ground surface Dwelling caught fire and destroyed water tank Community meeting took place outside in the freezing rain and cold winds Spaza shop In discussion with shop owner Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 9 of 16

10 Basic needs Community leaders house Feedback session to Witteklip community Youth present in the feedback session Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 10 of 16

11 Our Elders keeping warm Children playing soccer next to the graveyard Lifestyle Village Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 11 of 16

12 Houses being built to the value of R8m Community D The MetroWind wind farm in the back ground Agricultural land being prepared Job Creation The challenge of job creation is very complex and intricate, mainly because only a sustainable and financially business can create jobs and develop skills. The immediate response could be to consider agriculture. This is potentially the best route to follow. However, the complexities associated with agriculture are significant and the recent de Doorns farm workers strike again exposed the complexities of agriculture. For the purposes of knowledge sharing we have attached several case studies and articles that will guide the project teams approach towards sustainable and financial viable solutions. Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 12 of 16

13 Off-grid Solar Electrification The following has been included to demonstrate a possible solution for the community requests for Eskom energy. 3 Day off-grid Training Programme Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 13 of 16

14 Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 14 of 16

15 Conclusion With reference to the MDGs, in all of its work AFSD has embraced the principles of gender equality and empowerment of women. Through its recent affiliation to the Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 15 of 16

16 Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) 1, AFSD aims to do this even more strongly than before. Its values and work have been acknowledged by Ms. Lorena Aguilar who heads the Global Gender Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), based in Washington DC: We have appointed AFSD Mozambique to manage the validation process of the Mozambique s Climate Change and Gender Action Plan (ccgap:mz). We were very impressed with the methodology and working values of the organization, especially its stakeholder engagement processes. One of the main challenges that ASFD hopes to address in its future work is that of taking small projects to scale. To this end, AFSD works on a shareware model and all the training material and intellectual property is available for re-use on the basis that the receiving parties further improve and enhance the material and therefore contribute to a greater impact going forward. Company Overview Africa Foundation for Sustainable Development has assembled a powerful team of executive and non-executive directors, associates and alliance partners who share a commitment to stimulating sustainable development processes, practices and reporting interventions in mining and associated industries. Its work is centred on sustainable development programme implementation in Southern Africa. AFSD continues to serve its clients through strategic consulting, programme management, project implementation, skills development and training. It aims to deliver significant value-add to its clients in the Mining, Environmental, Agricultural, Energy and Socio-Economic Development sectors. AFSD is also equipped to participate in consortia to acquire assets and implement sustainable economic and social development projects on behalf of their clients. 1. See what we do click here 2. Review our corporate brochure click here 3. Peruse our Infographic click here 4. Contact us click here 1 GGCA is an Alliance of more than 114 institutions from the UN- system, NGO s and IGO s. The goal of the GGCA has been to ensure that climate change policies, programs and initiatives at all levels are genderresponsive and improve the lives and livelihoods of women and men. Africa Foundation is a majority owned and managed black entity with a certified Level 3 B-BBEE status Page 16 of 16