Networking event on July 20,2023: Green Hydrogen and Renewables: A Catalyst for Women Empowerment in South Africa.

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By Elaine Wing Yee C.

On July 20, the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa invited women in green hydrogen, power-to-x and renewable energy to join a social evening to expand their professional network, share knowledge and build relationships & partnerships.

The networking event took place at the Leonardo Hotel in Sandton and was facilitated by Programme Director Kaashifah Beukes (CEO at Freeport Saldanha ). Over 60 invited guests from academia, non-governmental organizations as well as public and private sector attended this evening to empower each other.

After a warm welcome by Shaakira Karolia (Head: Infrastructure Finance & Investment at Infrastructure South Africa ), Dr Rebecca Maserumule, Ph.D. (Chief Science and Technology Representative for Hydrogen and Vaccines at Department of Science, Technology and Innovation ) filled in spontaneously for the keynote and read out an enlightening speech by Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Nomasonto Motaung – who could not make it that evening.

During three heart-to-heart conversations with women of influence in the sector incl. Shirin Motala (Director at HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) ), Dr. Rethabile Melamu, PhD (CEO at South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) ) and Palma Maluleke (Chief Engineer at Joburg CityPower ), the audience got inspiring insights on paving the next generation of female leaders in sustainable energy, women in leadership and navigating through a (still) male-dominated renewable energy and emerging green hydrogen space.

The audience was able to ask questions within an informal setting accompanied by drinks and canapes.

Key takeaways:

• “Let’s be practical about how to support women.”
• “Support women where you already are”
• “Women must support women.”
• “Empowered women have a voice and can amplify other women’s voices.”
• “Women, don’t isolate yourselves, men can be supportive too!”

Networking events specifically tailored for women are important, since they provide a platform for women to come together and support each other in their professional journeys. These events foster a sense of community, where women can share experiences, challenges, and successes in a supportive and understanding environment.

Further, women still face unique challenges in the workplace due to gender biases, stereotypes, or cultural norms.This is why women-focused networking events can provide a space to address these issues, discuss strategies for overcoming them, and advocate for gender equality and empowerment.

It's important to note that while women-focused networking events serve specific purposes, it's equally valuable for women to participate in general networking events to expand their networks and connect with professionals from diverse backgrounds. Both types of events can contribute to a well-rounded networking strategy.

The social evening was hosted by Infrastructure South Africa in collaboration with H2.SA (Promoting a green hydrogen Economy in South Africa) and the South African-German Energy Programme (SAGEN), both implemented by the? 德国国际合作机构 and on behalf of the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) .

South African Green Hydrogen Summit: https://greenhydrogensummit.org.za/

About ISA: https://infrastructuresa.org/

About H2.SA: www.giz.de/en/worldwide/108108.html

About SAGEN:?www.sagen.org.za

SAGEN Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAGEN_Programme