The Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre of Zambia is impressed with the outcome of a training in the renewable and other energy platforms that some Malawians participated in at the centre.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) in Lilongwe after the training, Training and Research Consultant for Kafue Gorge, who is also Project Coordinator for Skills for Energy in Southern Africa (SESA) Mpezilwe Simukoko, was impressed with feedback from participants.

“We were doing follow ups on our participants who attended renewable energy training and other trainings at Kafue and we are happy with the feedback. It is pleasant to note that the skills and knowledge they acquired from the training is being applied to their everyday work,” said Simukoko.

Simukoko explained that the most interesting thing was that the participants were able to explain the challenges they used to face and how the training has helped them overcome them.

He said this shows that the courses the centre is developing are bearing fruits in the field.

However, Simukoko expressed concern concern that women participation in the program is low.

“As a centre and through SESA we are are trying to set aside funds so that women get scholarships if their organisations are not paying for them.

“During our mission, we were able to meet some women who participated in the training and were able to explain how the training has assisted them,” he said.

In an interview one of the participants, Ron Mwenelupembe a Senior Controlling Engineer working for Electricity Generating Company Malawi Limited (EGENCO) said the training was an eye opener to his work.

SESA intervention, a Public-Private Development Partnership (PPDP) is facilitating transfer of technical skills from international and local energy companies to power technicians and managers in Southern Africa through SADC’s Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre in Zambia.

In Malawi EGENCO sent most of their employees to be trained in various energy courses at the centre.

SESA project is being implemented by the International Labour Organisation and the Kafue Gorge Research Training Centre in Zambia. The project started in January 2021 and is expected to finish in June 2024.