Yellow Door Energy (“YDE”), a renewable energy independent power producer (IPP) for businesses in the Middle East and Africa, and Actis Acts, a charitable organisation, has officially launched Project YDE Lumen30, in Alexandria township in Johannesburg today (22 April).
“YDE Lumen30” is a corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) initiative in South Africa. with the creative name developed by the Yellow Door Energy team, reflecting the initiative’s focus on youth empowerment through skills development and training.
Training and Deployment Phases
YDE Lumen30 consists of two phases:
There are two phases in the development, with Phase 1 involving the training of 30 qualified youths in solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, while Phase 2 provides a solar power plant to a community centre in Alexandra Township at no cost to the centre.
The selection process for the trainees has been rigorous, and training begins this month. The training, project managed by Economic Development advisory firm DevRani Consult and implemented by non-profit Unnati Training Academy, will run for three months at the ENS Pro Bono office in Alexandra, after which participants will undergo a comprehensive exam to assess their technical knowledge.
Neo Pele, one of the trainees selected for the training programme, shared his expectations of and excitement about the initiative: “The YDE Lumen30 initiative is helping me connect my engineering background with the energy space. I’m excited to learn, meet people in the industry, and bring those insights to my community to make a real impact.”
Flagship Initiative for Yellow Door in SA
Forbes Padayachee, CEO of Yellow Door Energy South Africa, said, “YDE Lumen30 is our flagship CSR initiative in South Africa, and we are both honoured and humbled to have the opportunity to give back and make a meaningful impact in communities in the jurisdictions where we operate”.
Ugeshree Thakurpersad, Founder and CEO of DevRani Consult, said, “This initiative is about more than training; it’s about building a sustainable future and unlocking opportunities for our youth to shape the energy landscape of tomorrow.”
The project is co-funded by Yellow Door Energy and Actis Acts, a foundation by Actis, which supports charitable activities that create a positive and sustainable impact on communities. Actis is a majority shareholder of Yellow Door Energy, and the project addresses the challenges of youth employment and energy security in South Africa.
At the end of YDE Lumen30, the project will connect the trainees with specialised and experienced mentors from the renewable energy industry.
Brian Chinappi, Chairman of Actis Acts and Head of Real Estate at Actis, said, “At Actis Acts, we’re passionate about investing in a brighter, more sustainable future—not just through energy projects, but by empowering people. “We’re giving 30 young individuals the skills and opportunities to build a future in the renewable energy sector, helping them take charge of their careers while contributing to the clean energy transition. It’s initiatives like these that truly make a difference, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
