The second “L” is Livelihoods…

For more than a decade, the focus of our outreach has been sustainable livelihoods.  This started with a “Livelihood Support Unit” in 2010 that evolved with changes in government policy. Out of that came our “Green Livelihoods” project in 2015. Both of these had an element of basic Entrepreneurship training. We called it “blended learning” – both technical and enterprise training.

However, the rising unemployment rates especially among youth convinced us to broaden out the entrepreneurship training into any and every sector.

C4L has trained 300 young women and men how to install Solar water heaters on the roofs of homes.  Switching over from elecrical geysers to Solar water heaters could be seen as an act of patriotism, given the condition of Eskom.  This one small step for a house is also a huge step for the country in terms of environmental impact.  Because to keep the water in every electrical geyser hot for one year consumes one ton of coal!

C4L’s focus on the “green occupations” includes:

• Carbon forestry (i.e. growing Spekboom)
• Nutrition and medicinal gardening (i.e. growing Spinach Trees)
• Rainwater harvesting
• Recycling
• Energy auditing

Solar-Thermal & Photo-Voltaic

There are two kinds of solar devices. One kind (solar-thermal) heats water using convection. This does not generate electricity but saves having to burn coal to heat water. The other kind (photo-voltaic) actually generates electricity for light and charging. So one is more of a plumber’s device and the other is an electrician’s.

The National Development Plan calls for a 50% density of SWHs by the year 2030.  Currently, there is about 10% density.  So there is a huge opportunity here for green entrepreneurs.

For many reasons, Renewable Energy is a better option for South Africa than Nuclear. One reason is the job creation for installers. So in 2024, C4L is training 50 more youth in electrical engineering, to ready them to install solar panels, controllers, converters and batteries – at household level.

C4L regards Solar skills as a huge opportunity for unemployed youth to start a business.  (Not necessarity to get a job but to create an enterprise that will multiply into several related jobs.) C4L has already trained over 300 youth how to install solar water heaters, and 50 in basic electrical skills.

2024 – Rooftop Solutions

ROOFTOPS are very useful for both collecting and conserving rainwater and solar energy.

Again in 2024, C4L is busy training 150 more youth. One hundred of those are in community water, health and hygiene training. The other fifty are getting technical training leading on to photo-voltaic installations. This project is called ROOFTOPS SOLUTIONS, for reasons that are self-evident.

How do you eat an elephant?

The answer to this famous riddle is: “ONE BITE AT A TIME”.

Grantseeking is unpredictable by nature, so the volumes in any given year depend on grants that provide accredited training for youth.  C4L keeps applying, but does not always get the funding approvals that it seeks.

But that will not stop us.  Even one entrepreneur at a time, and by deploying volunteers as mentors, we will keep going forward.  (Please visit our Volunteering page for more about this.)

Down Memory Lane

C4L remembers…

1. We have now trained around 1650 youth in “livelihoods”-related training.  Mostly in Mpumalanga province.

2. Some alumni have successfully started micro-businesses, for example in Solar.  Others have found jobs in the formal sector.  Others have used their C4L training to leverage further education and training.  Still others have moved on into business or jobs in other sectors, leaving “energy and water” behind.

3. But we estimate that over half of C4L alumni are still unemployed.  How can they be economically active in a country where youth without jobs in the whole work force out-number those with jobs?!  That is the reality in South Africa in 2024.  This is deeply disturbing, so wherever possible we will work with C4L alumni together to find a viable career path.