MEDIA RELEASE: 07 October 2021
Young Climate Activists from Khayelitsha embark on ‘Playing With Solar’ programme following their Climate Action outside Parliament (Cape Town) last week and the Build Up to COP26.

 

On Saturday, 9 October 2021, young climate activists from Khayelitsha, hot off the heels from the 24th September 2021 Parliament (Cape Town) #UprootTheDMRE, #UprootTheSystem action take power into their hands by developing their own Solar Hub!

These young climate leaders, a part of local youth development programme YouLead Initiative, that aims to capacitate young teenaged individuals from Khayelitsha and neighbouring communities on the Cape Flats, through a climate justice focused framework. This initiative supports participants to become confident, well informed, individuals who value good communication and teamwork, and who have throughout the year been building their understanding of the climate and social justice issues in South Africa.

With this foundation of knowledge the ‘YouLead Warriors’ – as they have named themselves – have been able to take well-informed action, as seen at the Parliament (Cape Town) Global Climate Strike, where they alongside a cross-cutting coalition led by members of The Climate Justice Coalition mobilised for the transformation of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) under the banner of #UprootTheDMRE in line with the broader Global Climate Strike theme of #UprootTheSystem.

This weekend’s #PlayingWithSolar workshop, guided the Project 90 by 2030 youth team and our partners at Engineers Without Borders UCT will see the young climate ‘warriors’ continuing to broaden their understanding of our energy system, investigating renewable energy including a practical aspect of constructing their very own prototypes of a Solar powered USB charging station. This solar project has been supported by the New Zealand High Commission.

“Youth understand that the future of the South African energy system is not the current fossil fuel dependent monopolised one but rather one defined by decentralised renewables and alternative energy. Despite this our government and decision makers still think of coal and nuclear energy.” – Athenkosi Baba, YouLead Initiative Coordinator

With COP26 on the horizon, we need our government to take more urgent and progressive climate action. In the coming weeks, opportunities for young people to make their voices heard will be crucial and we have to ensure that they are heard. The YouLead Warriors and young people alongside them have been re-envisioning our energy future and ways they can contribute to this change. This workshop and the various dialogues to follow it – specifically targeted to COP26 – will serve as a platform for inspiring and mobilising a low-carbon generation.

“Climate Change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies affecting lives, costing people, countries, and communities dearly today and even more tomorrow. That’s why we should start taking climate action. We do not have time to be timid, we must be bold and daring and look at what lies ahead, as
everything lies in our hands.” – Aviwe Ludzebe, 16, YouLead Warrior 2021

 

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Details for Editors:

Venue: Isivivana Centre, Khayelitsha

Programme of the day:
9am: Welcome
9 – 11am: Reimagining the Energy Future – Youth discussion and engagement11h15 – 13h00 Solar Hub Assembly and Test
13h15 – 14h00:  African Climate Reality Project – Not On Our Soil Documentary Screening and Discussion
14h00 End

Media Contact: gabriel@90by2030.org.za (cc: info@90by2030.org.za)
Media Liaisons:
● Gabriel Klaasen (General Query and Contact):
– Whatsapp: +27 61 274 1719
– Mobile: +27 79 306 8871
● Athenkosi Baba: (Media contact on 9th Oct 2021):
– Mobile: +27 65 971 3683
● Daniel Robinson: (Media contact on 9th Oct 2021):
– Mobile: +27 73 508 2064

Media Assets:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cCH-gI9SKrO86CF2ADwGPalRl1RXH_Ra?usp=
sharing

About Project 90 by 2030:
Project 90 by 2030 is a social and environmental justice organisation inspiring and mobilising South African society towards a sustainably developed and equitable low-carbon future.

We work with stakeholders and decision-makers to identify policies and actions that support climate justice; with a specific focus on developing environmental leadership in our youth, and increasing people’s ability to engage government – through active public participation – to address climate change, energy poverty, and the social injustices that intersect in their communities.

Our name Project 90 by 2030, reflects our mission to inspire and mobilise South African society towards a low-carbon generation, through a significant change (90%) in the way we interact with earth systems by the year 2030.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Project90by2030/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/project90by2030
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/project90by2030_/
Website: https://90by2030.org.za/