Although kilometres apart, two groups of students — one in Salt River and the other in Khayelitsha — kept a brave face when their friends told them that they were uncool or paranoid for caring about the environment. It seemed fitting then that the two groups of young eco-warriors were brought together through the passing of a gift — a solar panel for a school roof — from the one to the other.

A group of 10 Khayelitsha students has been on a year-long journey to become YouLead Warriors. They were chosen from a group of 40 to attend workshops about the “just energy revolution” and to take part in the Playing with Solar project. During 2018 they have been mentored by the staff of Project 90 by 2030 to learn about leadership “through the lens of climate”, says Daniel Robinson, the youth leadership development co-ordinator.

Project 90 by 2030 (by 2030, there needs to be a 90% decrease in greenhouse gas production if humans and the earth want to survive) is inspired by journalist and environmental activist George Monbiot’s book Heat, launched in 2007. The book has since influenced policy and people to work towards a “just energy transition” which prioritises the well-being of people as we move to renewable energy sources.

The project has worked with the European Union to address daily energy challenges throughout South Africa and has brought together other non-profit organisations to hold the energy sector to account. The project is funded mostly by foreign donors such as the European Union, Misereor and the National Lotteries Commission.

In 2018, the eco-warriors were to complete a year of observing the design, construction, and installation of a solar panel by SOLA Future Energy on the roof of the community centre in Khayelitsha.

Unfortunately, this was not to be.

The solar panel could not be installed because the area was linked to the Eskom grid.

“Eskom doesn’t allow low voltage connections,” said Kate Pallett, the marketing manager of SOLA Future Energy.

However, Salt River Secondary School stood out as a good partner and the solar panel was destined for a new home at this Wessa eco-school.

A member of the SOLA Future Energy team and YouLead Warrior mentor, Kutlwano Nondabula, carry a solar module up the scaffolding stairs onto the roof of a classroom at Salt River Secondary School. In the background are the suburbs of Salt River. Photo: Christi Nortier

“I was sad when I found out the solar panel couldn’t go to the community centre. I wanted my community to benefit from what I was doing because they are supportive of us and the organisations trying to make change and make society better,” said YouLead Warrior Lunathi Jibilikile.

Youth Programme Officer for Project 90, Athenkosi Baba (centre), helps the SOLA Future Energy team as they finish off the installation. Photo: Christi Nortier

But, he says, he is glad it came to a school.

“Each and every day we are taught that students are our future leaders. I think the students from this area will learn more about solar and they will share it and that is better for our society. I will be able to share my experience so that others can learn from it.”

Although Lunathi would have graduated from the programme by the end of the installation ceremony, he isn’t finished with solar energy just yet. He once wanted to be a paediatrician, but now he wants to become a solar electrician after he matriculates in 2019.

“I’ve learned that solar is one of the just means of energy and it can help us save our world. Scientists have predicted that if we still use fossil fuels to generate electricity, then by 2050 there will be a high loss of biodiversity and that is what I want to stop from happening,” he says.

Lunathi admits that he wasn’t always so interested, or mindful, of the environment.

“This programme has helped me because I used to be a stereotypical guy. I always thought that it was abnormal that people would want to go up on the mountain. But now, I’ve even created my own website for hikers to tell them what to do when they go and hike and where they can stay,” he says.

At Salt River Secondary School, current chairperson of the Environmental Society Edith Pedro admitted that she too wasn’t all that concerned with the environment before she joined the society. Now that she has, and now that she’s seen the YouLead Warriors, she feels unstoppable.

“I never realised the extent people go to save the environment. Before I joined the society, I wasn’t the type of person to think about what I’m doing to the environment. Now I look at what other people do and I realise that they don’t have the proper knowledge of the things they’re doing.

“Normally people need to see something to believe it’s really happening and then they’ll change. The warriors get to impact people a lot,” she says.

In the past three years, the environment society has set up recycling facilities at the school, built a bench from eco-bricks to solve the school’s litter problem and nurtured an indigenous garden. This has earned the school a Wessa eco-school flag. However, the gift of the solar panel is what they regard as the society’s biggest achievement for all their hard work over the years.

The WESSA eco-flag is framed on the wall behind Salt River Secondary School Environmental Society members Nuhaa van der Schyft (left) and Edith Pedro (right) to inspire pride in other learners about how green their school is. Newspaper clippings about their achievements are also framed. Photo: Christi Nortier.

But being green isn’t always seen as being cool.

“Hopefully it will inspire the younger kids to carry on. Cool kids are sometimes ignorant, even though we try to tell them about the environment, they think we’re crazy,” said Yadina Maselesele, a member of the society.

Society member Nuhaa van der Schyft adds:

“We have had assemblies, individuals speak to each class, we put up posters to explain recycling and put up the [Wessa eco-school] flag we won to show them that it’s an achievement so that they can be motivated. All that, and not many really care.”

Yadina recounts that when she walks with friends and they litter, she asks them to pick it up. Often, their response is to tell her to pick it up if she’s so worried.

“It’s a fight that you don’t want to happen, but then it just happens. They think you’re being paranoid, and they think that they are providing jobs for those people who clean the streets,” she says.

“That’s their mentality,” Edith adds.

Both Lunathi and his friend and fellow warrior, Inga Mtshitshi, were met with disbelief when they told people they had built their own solar power bank.

“At first my family and friends didn’t believe that I made it. I showed them pictures of me making it and then they believed me. I still use it. I used it yesterday when there was load shedding. I charge my phone and use it as a torch,” says Lunathi.

Inga also had to show people photos of her making the power bank before anyone believed her. She plans on making bigger things since she wants to become an electrical engineer.

YouLead Warriors Lunathi Jibilikile (left) and Inga Mtshitshi (right) pose in front of the solar panel instillation. They are both in Grade 11 at the Centre of Science and Technology secondary school in Khayelitsha. Photo: Christi Nortier.

The acting principal of Salt River Secondary School, Fairuz Patel, is a geography teacher and the mentor of the Environmental Society. As a result of her passion for the environment, the vast majority of senior students at the school take geography as an elective subject.

Principal Fairuz Patel awaits the ribbon cutting ceremony

“The children go home and whatever environmental message they learn at school, they take home and into their communities. I saw that with the eco-bricks project. Some went into their roads and told people to pick up the chip packets because they can be put to use.

“They brought me eco-bricks which they made at home. They cleaned their environment in that way and reduced the amount of waste where they live,” she said.

As the ceremony ended, one of the Warrior’s mentors, Kutlwano Nondabula, took a moment to wish them luck for the future.

“We aren’t done with you yet… Hopefully, you will come back next year and mentor other kids as I mentored you. Your work doesn’t end now.” DM