In April 2025, we officially welcomed the first cohort of the “Energising Women to Advance the Energy Transition in the SADC Region” Mentoring Programme. It is now our great pleasure to highlight the mentors who are guiding and supporting the 50 mentees.
As part of this initiative, each participant has been paired with their own individual mentor. This matchmaking is based on the mentee’s personal career aspirations. The mentors and mentees meet monthly in one-on-one online sessions discuss exchange knowledge, career development and skills critical for working in sustainable energy.
We are deeply grateful to these 50 seasoned energy professionals from all over the world for generously volunteering their time and expertise to empower junior and mid-career women working in energy. In a sign of allyship, we are also pleased to welcome a number of male mentors to this initiative — all united by the shared commitment to advancing gender equality and building a more inclusive, diverse energy sector.
Through their guidance, encouragement, and knowledge-sharing, mentors play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of women leaders in the energy transition across the SADC region.
Our Mentors:
- Andreas Elombo, Director, Namibia Energy Institute, Namibia
- Anya Plescia-Boyd, Independent Consultant, Kunsult Three Sixty, Germany
- Barbara Fischer-Aupperle, Coach and Mentor, bfaCoaching, Germany
- Benson Zeyi, Senior Consultant, Benchi Renpower, Zimbabwe
- Candy Stromvig, Principal Energy Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, Zimbabwe
- Carel Snyman, Electric Vehicles and Solar Energy Advisor, Freelance, South Africa
- Chaltu Marta Ali, Renewable Energy Consultant, Africon Energy Limited, Kenya
- Daniel Ngwenya, TAREA NZ Branch Chairperson, Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA), Tanzania
- Dr. Zenzile Rasmeni Masipa, Skills Development Project Manager, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa
- Filagot Tesfeye, Co-Founder and Managing Director, ON ENERGY CONSULTANT, Ethiopia
- Granny Lesiamang, Founding Director, Clauseph BioFuels, Botswana
- Helen Watts, Executive Director, Student Energy, Austria
- Hope Okuthe, Project Officer, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Kenya
- Imen Ben Salem, Head of Division Project Manager, Société Tunisienne de l’Électricité et du Gaz (STEG), Tunisia
- Iwona Bisaga, Global Clean Cooking Lead, Global Platform for Action (GPA), Rwanda
- Josephine Kaviti Musango, Founder and Director, Africa Sustainable Energy Transitions (ASET), South Africa
- Karin Reiss-Haimbala, Program Manager – Industrial Development Expert, UNIDO, Austria
- Kausar Khan, Knowledge Manager Renewable Energy, C40 Cities, South Africa
- Lydia Mugarula, Liaison Officer, Expertise France, Tanzania
- Mahi Sideridou, Managing Director, Beyond Fossil Fuels, Denmark
- Mamusa Mabodi, New Markets and Technology Project Manager, Central Energy Fund, South Africa
- Mathapelo Selase, Project Coordinator, Lesotho Renewable Energy and Energy Access Project, Lesotho
- Matshidiso Glorious Moile, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Botswana
- Mercy Masanga, Geographic Information System Specialist, Freelance, Tanzania
- Mildred Linkimer, Co-Director / Professor of Physics and Renewable Energies, Universidad EARTH, Costa Rica
- Moira Alberts-Kruse, Managing Director, Taatisolar Namibia (Pty) Ltd, Namibia
- Nadia Lalout, Board Chair and Outreach Lead, Lean In Network | Equity & Sustainability, France
- Nambula Kachumi, Founder and Executive Director, Women’s Entrepreneurship Access Center (WEAC), Zambia
- Natalia Weber, Project Manager, Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), Austria
- Natou Bamba-Colon, Founder, I.C.G. Consulting, France
- Nomthandazo Mpande, Managing Director, Phoki, South Africa
- Nosipho Bodlingwe, Research Digitalisation and System Dynamics Manager, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, South Africa
- Nosipho Dlamini, Research and Renewables Engineer, Eswatini Electricity Company, Eswatini
- Odellia Matangi Mangwengwende, Associate Director: Development, African Transmission Corporation, Zimbabwe
- Onneetse Ndadi, Business & ESG/Sustainability Lead, SustainaBiz Consulting, Botswana
- Onyekachi Nwafor, Founder, KatexPower, Nigeria
- Prudence Muchinouta, Managing Director, Oputa Energy, Zambia
- Qhakazile Mathebula, Senior Project Manager, City Power Johannesburg, South Africa
- Rishel Dharmapall, ESG Sector Expert – Circular Economy (SAGCC), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, South Africa
- Rosa Chilundo, Head of Training and Development Division, Power Utility, Mozambique
- Sabrina Hasni, Electrification Solution Integrator, Shell, Netherlands
- Sandra Kemama, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, M-Gas, Kenya
- Sentle Nell, Founder and Executive Director, Estahale Advisory, South Africa
- Silva Mafalda, Coordinator Researcher, INEGI driving science & innovation, Portugal
- Sithembile Tembo, Founder, Grid&Beyond, Malawi
- Srividya Vairavel, Senior Process Engineer, Aibel, United Arab Emirates
- Tenele Habangaan, System Control Engineer, Eswatini Electricity Company, Eswatini
- Thierry Odou, Associate Analyst, International Energy Agency (IRENA), Germany
- Victor Utedzi, Managing Director, African Transmission Corporation, Zimbabwe
- Winnie Mamatsharaga, National Co-ordinator: Women Empowerment & Gender Equality, Department of Electricity and Energy, South Africa
This programme is run by Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), in collaboration with the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), and with the financial support of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). Learn more here.
If you are an experienced energy professional and would like to volunteer as a GWNET Mentor (requiring approx 1 hour commitment per month), see this link to learn more.
