In South Africa, EGP’s Projects Follow in the Footsteps of Nelson Mandela

What can be done in 67 minutes? Ever since Mandela Day was established in 2009, in South Africa, it has become a tradition to take at least 67 minutes of the day on 18 July to help those in need, with practical support and tangible activities. This year, for the initiative’s tenth anniversary, the Nelson Mandela Foundation launched “Mandela Day: The Next Chapter”, a new strategy aimed at mobilizing people, governments, civil society and businesses to achieve 10 goals in 5 areas in the next 10 years: education and literacy, food and nutrition, housing, sanitation and active citizenship. In memory of a man who inspired change and never stopped fighting for his ideals, who taught the world that every one of us has the power to make a difference, Enel Green Power has a daily commitment not only to making energy access in South Africa possible, but also to enacting projects to create shared value for the local communities that host our plants. #ActionAgainstPoverty On 18 July, we celebrated the tenth annual Mandela Day. The theme for the day was “Action Against Poverty” which gave us a chance to reflect on global poverty and the role of education in fighting it. EGP decided to respond to the call to action from the Nelson Mandela Foundation by selecting 5 concrete actions to carry out through 2029 that involve the areas of education and literacy, food and nutrition and active citizenship. Change begins within each of us: every person, with his or her actions, powers the momentum toward a better world, fighting injustice and helping people in need. “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” said Nelson Mandela. Based on this teaching, Enel Green Power is committed every day to achieving the goals of Mandela Day regarding quality education (Goal 1), provision of learning resources for all children at Johannesburg’s Early Childhood Development Centres (Goal 2), the fight against hunger (Goal 3) and poverty (Goal 9) and increased public participation (Goal 10). In South Africa, Enel Green Power sponsors projects and activities that put education at the centre of our relationship with local populations. Like Nelson Mandela, we believe that education is one of the key elements for a community’s economic development. For this reason, in line with the goals set by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, we renovated the Early Childhood Development Centre in Johannesburg, making it a place where children can grow and learn by having fun, and to donate school materials and educational tools to be used by children during their stay. Making the World a Better Place For Mandela Day 2019, Enel Green Power donated 67 mountain bikes to students at the Kodupu School, in Lephalale, located near our Tom Burke photovoltaic plant. The event, held at the school where bike racks will also installed, included the participation of the mayor of Lephalale, Hon. M.J Maeko, the Enel Country Manager for South Africa, William Price, and the members of EGP’s Matimba cycling team, founded in 2018 and formed of 13 colleagues, led by the Country Manager. “Today, Enel Green Power gave 67 mountain bikes to students at the Kodupu School in Lephalale, province of Limpopo, for Mandela Day, celebrating the life of this country’s founding president and one of the great leaders of the 20th century, Nelson Mandela.” – William Price, Enel Country Manager for South Africa This partnership with the Kodupu School will help the mobility of schoolchildren who until now have been forced to walk for hours from home to school and back every day. In addition to the bicycles, children received a tube repair kit and safety equipment. And that’s not all! In the province of Eastern Cape, in Hankey, in the area surrounding our Gibson Bay wind farm, our team spent time with local children and Enel Green Power donated blankets, toys and food to two families in need. Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to fighting against apartheid and for human rights and believed in the power of sharing and volunteering. Following the legacy that Madiba left us, we aided the elderly at the Shalom Old Age Centre, near the Nojoli wind farm. The Enel Green Power Team decided to commemorate Mandela with volunteer work because change begins within each of us and only by paying attention to others and helping those in greatest need can we make the world a better place. Many of our colleagues, including Leticia Vos, SHEQ Officer for Enel Green Power in South Africa, also spent Mandela Day with the children of Dare2Care, an NGO that cares for less fortunate children, taking them to school each day, helping them with homework and providing them with three meals a day. Thanks to the energy from Enel Green Power’s solar and wind plants in South Africa, , we support numerous initiatives aimed at the education of young people. An amazing opportunity to change the world around us and follow the path towards a sustainable future. Act now, be a leader of change and make every day a Mandela Day!

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In South Africa, EGP’s Projects Follow in the Footsteps of Nelson Mandela

In South Africa, EGP’s Projects Follow in the Footsteps of Nelson Mandela

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