- 5/28/2025
Katleho Mojakisane on Clean Energy & Social Equity in Africa | The Backstory Podcast
In this special feature, Katleho Queen Mojakisane discusses clean energy as a catalyst for social equity in Africa on The Backstory with Omobola Stephen. Discover how energy access can unlock opportunities for women, youth, and communities left behind.
She discusses:
⚡ Clean energy as a key to equity and opportunity
🌿 Community solutions for Africa’s sustainable future
👩🏾🦱 Uplifting voices of women and youth in climate leadership
💬 What inspires you most about Katleho’s message? Let us know in the comments below!
✅ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support more conversations about clean energy, climate justice, and the future of Africa! 🌍💡
#Tangelic #CleanEnergyAfrica #PodcastFeature #JustTransition #ClimateJustice #EnergyForAll #Dailymotion #AfricaDevelopment
In this special feature, Katleho Queen Mojakisane discusses clean energy as a catalyst for social equity in Africa on The Backstory with Omobola Stephen. Discover how energy access can unlock opportunities for women, youth, and communities left behind.
She discusses:
⚡ Clean energy as a key to equity and opportunity
🌿 Community solutions for Africa’s sustainable future
👩🏾🦱 Uplifting voices of women and youth in climate leadership
💬 What inspires you most about Katleho’s message? Let us know in the comments below!
✅ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support more conversations about clean energy, climate justice, and the future of Africa! 🌍💡
#Tangelic #CleanEnergyAfrica #PodcastFeature #JustTransition #ClimateJustice #EnergyForAll #Dailymotion #AfricaDevelopment
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LearningTranscript
00:00Good to have you on The Backstory with Amobola Steven. I'm the host Amobola Steven. On The Backstory with Amobola Steven, we want to shine more light on what has not worked and what will make it work.
00:11We focus on topics that are centered on politics and also government, and with other sub-topics like the science and technology, society and culture, the environment, and also the economy.
00:23We emphasize the importance of us embracing change and transformation, not just in our personal lives, but in the world in general, because all of the changes that we desire in life and in the world generally can only happen if we are ready to begin to have discussions, disruptive yet constructive discussions that's going to pivot these changes that we long for.
00:45Now, this is the mission and the focus on The Backstory with Amobola Steven. I have my guest. We are ready to pivot the positive changes you and I need, and also the world need in general, on the podcast as we share disruptive yet constructive mind-shift conversations on these topics.
01:04Today, I have Katleho Mojaki-san, who is the Sustainable Future Coordinator at Stangelic on the Backstory with Amobola Steven.
01:13I will be sharing, we will be talking about the role of clean energy in advancing social equity on the topic, on the podcast. Thanks for joining me, Katleho.
01:22Thank you very much. I'm very delighted to be here with you today.
01:28Thanks for joining me, Katleho. I'm looking forward to your great time.
01:31So let's talk first off on the key points to note about what clean energy is and is contributed to the world.
01:43Okay. That is a very interesting question because I realize that not a lot of people are familiar and, you know, it's very important to raise awareness about what clean energy is.
01:56And clean energy is essentially, you know, ways of getting, you know, a source of, where we can get sources for heating or for lighting and that we use in our homes, you know, for the basic utilities that we have, but using renewable sources, right?
02:18So we have different forms of energy sources.
02:23We have things like fuel in terms of coal, charcoal, and other non-renewable sources that we mine.
02:33But then as well, we have other sources that are renewable.
02:37And this means that these sources do not get depleted over time.
02:41A very good example is hydroelectric power.
02:45This is energy that comes from flowing water.
02:49And this is renewable because it does not run out.
02:53Another great example is solar power or solar energy.
02:57So this is energy or power that we get from the sun.
03:02And so it is renewable because the sun does not run out.
03:07So this is what renewable sources of energy are.
03:10And we're raising awareness about the importance of using these sources, not only the importance, but we're advocating for, you know, investing in renewable energy so that because it is planet friendly, earth eco friendly, and because the various entrepreneurial paths that can be curated just by using these sources of energy.
03:38Right now, you're advocating for this kind of energy in the world today is because there are so many challenges that is faced in adopting this clean energy.
03:52So let's talk on these challenges, especially in developing countries.
03:55Okay, so the main challenges that developing countries face when it comes to adopting renewable energy can either be the lack of infrastructure.
04:08So we have seen that in as much as most developing countries, but there may be in geographical areas that favor the use of renewable energy, but sometimes the infrastructure is lacking.
04:21The funding to, you know, get equipment to obtain that energy so that it is used and essentially converted to power may be lacking.
04:32When we talk about solar energy, for instance, many countries, especially on the African continent, like, you know, solar, you know, microgrids, they, you know, they're very difficult to find in Lesotho, for instance, where I come from, you'd find out that we have to import all of the materials used for in order to generate solar power.
04:57So I would say that infrastructure is one of the key elements that is actually lacking for these areas.
05:05And, you know, for resources such as water, for instance, some areas, you know, they may be battling with even if they have water, but they don't have the equipment to, you know, generate electricity or the governance in that area is not prioritizing, you know, generation of water using renewables.
05:27So those are some of the key challenges that countries, especially developing countries face when it comes to, you know, the generation of energy or power using renewable sources.
05:39But really, Katleo, don't you think politics has a lot to do with this development?
05:45It definitely does, Omobala, it definitely does, because, you know, at the end of the day, the government wants to do what is, quote unquote, profitable to either the people who are in power, who want to gain, you know, selfish profit, or, you know, and so it would be that they wouldn't, if they make money by selling non-renewable sources like mining coal.
06:14And all the other sources that pollute the environment, then they wouldn't necessarily formulate and implement policies that are favoring the generation of renewable sources.
06:26So that is how, you know, the governance plays a role in adoption of these different ways of energy adoption.
06:38But I realized that more African countries, or more countries, rather, are really, you know, leaning towards clean energy, you know, we're talking about, you know, meetings such as COP, we're talking about several discussions that are being held where, you know, really different activists are raising awareness about the need for renewable sources of energy and sustainable development.
07:06All right. So what do you think are the implications of the clean energy transition?
07:11I think the implications of clean energy transition would be sustainable economies in the sense that, you know, when there's an adoption of clean energy, for example, as a company at Angelic, for instance, when we now work to provide communities with clean cook stoves and solar microcrits and other elements that they can use to generate power,
07:39we also empower other aspects of other aspects of their lives that they can use, for example, the clean cook stoves to cook in the entrepreneurial ventures to now sell, we're also empowering, you know, students to, you know, study better, we're in that way, we're actually empowering them to be better professionals as well.
07:58So these are some of the implications of the clean energy transition, we're also, you know, unlocking new ventures for investments, and we're trying to see how, you know, that we can all benefit from this transition.
08:14So you mentioned on Angelic, but I'd like to talk a bit about your experience at Angelic.
08:22The mission of Angelic really is to create impactful, scalable solutions for a cleaner future.
08:28So how do you foresee the success of providing local solutions for the global challenge?
08:33Yes, so Angelic, like you've rightly said, is an AWAT winning nonprofit organization that is dedicated at addressing energy poverty and climate change across Africa.
08:46And it is committed to doing so through community empowerment, gender equity and sustainable development.
08:52Now, it is very, these are very important key roles or key elements to actually take note of, because by doing this, we're going to be doing this through, you know, many different projects.
09:10And one such project will be the Sunrise Spectrum Initiative.
09:14And this will be where we empower communities with clean energy access through solar home systems, clean cook stoves and community solar microgrids.
09:23And then also we'll be having what we call the Ghana Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Incubator.
09:29And here we'll be fostering the next generation of clean energy leaders by providing mentorship, training and seed funding to young entrepreneurs.
09:38And another project we're going to be pioneering is the Pan-African Climate Exchange.
09:44And in this project, we'll be driving continent-wide climate action through knowledge sharing, collaboration and innovative financing mechanisms.
09:52So the success of these projects would really go a long way in boosting the economic, you know, muscle of the communities that we're going to be reaching out to.
10:03And this is, you know, what is going to be unfolding as we continue to advocate for clean energy transition.
10:14All right.
10:15I agree to you.
10:15Thanks for that.
10:16So we talked about a sustainable future.
10:20How can we begin to build a sustainable future, two partnerships?
10:25Now, I'm talking about the private sector, the NGOs and governments.
10:28In order for us or the society in general to begin to advance sustainably, gender equity and also clean energy initiatives globally.
10:39Do you have your insight?
10:40I know you have.
10:40You can share.
10:41Yes, so there are different ways that, you know, we can ensure that there is sustainable, the sustainability rather, as we develop, especially developing countries such as the African countries.
10:59And one key way to do so is through sustainable partnerships.
11:05So when governments are more open to forming partnerships with organizations that have the intent to actually reach out to communities and create meaningful change,
11:25when they implement policies that favor these organization goals, or when they actually create or they divert part of the funding to actually ensure that it's easier for these crossroot organizations to penetrate communities, how they can support them.
11:47And these strategic partnerships will really play a key role.
11:52Another key role would be to emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibilities among the private sector companies specifically, you know, emphasizing the need for, okay, we need more initiatives catered towards addressing poverty,
12:10as opposed to perhaps a company that would, say, prioritize entertainment or other, you know, so by raising awareness and advocating for the fact that maybe corporate social responsibility projects or the funding from corporate social responsibility should actually be diverted to actually solving problems that a country is facing that will help to boost its growth,
12:36alleviate poverty, alleviate poverty, and mitigate other pressing social issues that such a country is facing.
12:43So how do you think the developing countries or the advanced countries, how do you think they can come in to support this vision for the underdeveloped or the developing countries, especially Africa?
12:55I think the best way that, first I would like to say that
13:02I don't normally say that maybe, yes, through partnering and so on and so forth, we can do it,
13:11but we have to really be emphatic by saying that Africa is the one that will be responsible to take it to where it wants to be, right?
13:23So I don't like placing emphasis on saying, oh, developing countries should do this and do this for Africa, because we've seen how that has failed.
13:31We've seen, for instance, how the cutting of the USA and cutting from funding from different government, you know, how that has made many developing countries to be dependent on developing countries,
13:44I mean, on developed countries rather. So I just want to say that what I would advocate for personally would be for more partnerships between African countries to, you know, improve their trade relations with one another,
14:00to ensure that there's sustainable trade partnerships going on between them and to ensure that there are policies that are implemented or, you know,
14:12more dependence or more interdependence on one another as opposed to countries that are already developed.
14:18So I just want to say that the developed countries, you know, could also maybe chip in to help with things like how maybe I would say guiding the professionals in the developed countries in terms of,
14:38okay, when we drafted such a policy to get from stage one to stage two, this is what we did.
14:42So maybe training programs and, you know, other things that actually empower developed countries or professionals from developed countries,
14:51as opposed to maybe aid that, yes, can solve the problem, but is not really sustainable in the long run.
15:01All right. So can we talk a bit about innovation for a sustainable Africa?
15:07We emphasize Africa because we know Africa has its own core issues that is facing, that is being challenged on a daily basis.
15:18So what do you think African communities, what do you think they really need a tailored innovation as regards clean energy and sustainable energy?
15:27What do you think or what have you found out?
15:29Okay. So I believe that, you know, innovation, we, at a very small scale, I'm just going to say that everybody wants how big means to feed their families, ways to make more money.
15:46So innovation is tied in a lot with entrepreneurship.
15:52And by actually encouraging entrepreneurship, we're encouraging innovation.
15:57This is why, for instance, through the Ghana Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Incubator that Tangelic will be doing,
16:04where we'll be fostering, you know, clean energy leaders who have startups that generate power using renewable energy,
16:15where we, you know, connect them with mentors, connect them with people who can fund their businesses, so on and so forth.
16:22They're now inspired to come up with innovative ideas, ground-breaking ideas that can take Africa from where it is today to the next level.
16:34And this ties in very much with what we're talking about, about how, you know, different sectors of African countries should actually form more collaborations.
16:45And I, by following what is happening in the African Union, I'm very pleased to see that there's a lot that is actually, you know, going on there in that direction.
16:54So when we do this, you know, encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, we're actually solving the problem that Africa greatly faces,
17:02which is the economic, the standard economic growth that we see.
17:05So that is what I would say with regards to innovation.
17:11All right.
17:11Kathleen, you have really provided your insight on this topic of caution.
17:17So we like to talk about the women and also leadership, especially as regards to clean energy.
17:24Now, we understand that energy access has been demonstrated to improve gender equality.
17:29Now, the question on the minds of my audience is, why are the women not fully involved at the heart of this transformation?
17:37So I'd like us to talk about gender equity and how empowered women in the sector can drive innovation and progress towards global sustainability goals.
17:47OK, that is a very important question, because not only in the just energy transition do we see a small representation of women,
17:59but actually at even policymaking level or on tables where decisions are being made, we're still advocating that we want to see more women there.
18:08So that is really where the problem is, because, you know, when the people that are responsible for making these big decisions about who to give tenders to,
18:18who to give certain funding to for such a project, you know, it comes, it stems from there.
18:24So when we deal with the problem from the root source, which is the leadership,
18:28the leadership of many developing countries, many African countries,
18:33that is when, you know, we'll actually be getting to something.
18:36And that is why maybe we may not see more representation of women in in many spaces, including in the energy space.
18:47Right. But this by Tangelic pioneering these initiatives and raising the need for more women representation in these courses,
18:58we're actually trying to, you know, mitigate this problem that we're talking about.
19:03And for instance, we know that because of the gender roles culturally for many African countries,
19:11you'd find out that in Ghana, for instance, where we're reaching out to the women are the ones responsible for collecting firewood, cooking, doing this, doing that.
19:22So you get to find out that during all these processes that they, this domestic activities that they do,
19:29they're not active economically. They're not active when it comes to being educated.
19:33So they cannot make those sound decisions that actually place them in places where they're able to be at policy making tables or corners and stuff like that.
19:45So by carrying out this initiative, we will be empowering women because we're giving them access to clean energy solutions.
19:54By doing so, if instead of going to fetch firewood, a person now has a clean cook stove to use saves time and also impacts their health positively,
20:04because when they use firewood, for instance, they get to experience a lot of respiratory illnesses and, you know, things like that.
20:11So when they now use this, it saves them time. It also gives access to those little girls in school who maybe didn't have, you know,
20:20light to use to study and, you know, other activities related to this, their education.
20:28And also we're ensuring that in the implementation of these projects, there is a considerable, significant representation of the female gender.
20:38And, well, you know, our message, our narrative is really women empowerment through the advocacy for climate justice and climate action.
20:52So these are some of the reasons why we don't see a lot of women that I have already stated.
20:56And these are some of the ways that we're hoping to mitigate these problems.
21:01Absolutely. Don't you think that we need to emphasize education, proper education in this regard?
21:09And also, who are your target audience? I'm talking about the women. Who are the target audience?
21:16OK, so this and the issue of education is very important.
21:20And this is why I specifically mentioned it, that when women do not have access to education,
21:27they are therefore not informed to, you know, make the right decisions or be at in spaces where they are likely to influence policymaking.
21:38OK, so how can you begin to educate them? How can education get to this set of people?
21:43So through advocacy, not only through advocacy, but through actually actively ensuring that these women are empowered.
21:51When you talk about entrepreneurship, for example, for those that are not well versed with maybe how what is entrepreneurship?
22:01How do I pitch to an investor? How do I get into this energy sector?
22:06When you provide mentorship to these women, when you provide trainings for those that maybe they're now out of high school or they didn't go to high school,
22:15but they're older and you provide entrepreneurial training.
22:18These are some of the ways that we can, you know, try to mitigate or bridge the gap between the male and female representation in relevant spaces.
22:28All right. So do you have any sites that they can visit in order for them to access this important information?
22:38And also, I'd just like you to tell me your target audience for this set of people in terms of the clean energy.
22:47You're looking at the women. Where are they located?
22:51OK, that is a very great question.
22:54So these women that we're looking for are particularly in the global south.
22:59Our pilot projects, however, will be taking place in Ghana, specifically in Tamale.
23:05So because of the geographical location and the legislative, you know, laws there that favor clean energy transition,
23:14that is where our pilot projects will be taking place.
23:17And we're looking for young women, especially those who are into entrepreneurship.
23:22And these are the people that we'll be serving.
23:25But more vastly, we'll also be outside the scope of the women, we'll also be targeting specifically less privileged communities.
23:32So obviously, this includes men as well.
23:34So the less privileged or the impoverished communities that cannot afford access to clean energy.
23:41All of these people are our target market or audience, rather.
23:46And these are the people we'll be reaching out to.
23:48So for our viewers listening and would like to learn more about how Tangelic is going to go about what it's doing and to keep updated,
23:57they can visit www.tangeliclife.org to see how they can be part of this change to actually bring about sustainable development in this regard.
24:09All right.
24:11Do you have any important information, perhaps any projects in the pipeline that you think the audience of the backstory can benefit from now or in the nearest future?
24:22You can share if you have any.
24:24Okay.
24:24So for now, the projects that are in the pipeline to be implemented in the subsequent future is the Sunrise Spectrum Initiative, the one that I mentioned before, firstly.
24:39And this is where we'll be empowering communities with clean energy access through the donation of solar home systems, clean cookstoves and community solar microcrids.
24:49So, you know, we're not only reaching out to, say, people who can benefit, but we're also reaching out to people who can partner, people who can contribute to making this change.
25:01So we're calling on any prospective organizations to, you know, form strategic partnerships to, you know, see how we can work together towards the completion of this goal.
25:12Thank you once again, Kathleen Hill, for sharing that.
25:16We sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of the audience of Backstories to Mobile Last Living, I wish you best of luck in this project that you are embarking upon and also in subsequent ones that you will embark upon at the Tanger League.
25:29Thank you once again for sharing your thoughts, especially on the role of clean energy in advancing social equity.
25:36We value your time and also the positive contributions you had on the show and impacting the audience in general.
25:43Best of luck once again, Cathy Hill.
25:45Thank you so much, Omobala.
25:47It was a delight to be here today.
25:50Delight to have you once again.
25:52Now, if you'd like to catch up with any missed episodes of the Backstory with Omobala, Stephen, you can do so on any podcast distribution platforms or any podcast promotion platforms.
26:01Just search for the Backstory with Omobala, Stephen.
26:04We focus on government and politics and other subtopics like the society and culture.
26:09We also have science and technology, the environment, and also the economy.
26:14We focus on destructive yet constructive mindset conversations on topics that is going to pivot at the changes that we need in the society and in the world in general.
26:25Delight, come your way.
26:26I need you to stay safe.
26:27Thank you once again, Cathy Hill, for your time.
26:29Thank you so much.
26:32All right.
26:34All right.
26:34All right.
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