Knowledge Pele

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Knowledge Pele We are a research and development advisory firm that strives to deliver value for all our clients and

What sets us apart from our competitors is our ability to translate complex problems into opportunities for a diverse range of partners. Our role in the market is to:

Generate knowledge that accurately reflects the conditions, assets and aspirations of under-served and/ excluded communities. Design development strategies that are compliant, competitive and possible to implement in collaboration with all stakeholders. Share the tools to be agents of development with communities that have been denied socio-economic participation. Disclaimer: The purpose of this service is to collate relevant information already in the public domain and to distribute it to a targeted audience. The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the views of Knowledge Pele or its sponsors, clients and partners. Knowledge Pele is also not responsible for any errors of fact contained in the articles.

We’re proud to announce that we are finalists for the Global Sustainability Awards 2026 by Reuters Events (.events)! We...
28/09/2026

We’re proud to announce that we are finalists for the Global Sustainability Awards 2026 by Reuters Events (.events)! We’re honoured to see our work in sustainable socio-economic development recognised on a global platform.

For us, sustainability is about more than commitments. It is about creating tangible transformation, bringing together people, infrastructure and industry to unlock opportunities, strengthen agency and enable meaningful participation in economic development.

For more than 15 years, Knowledge Pele has used research-led development, partnership and implementation to address complex development challenges and create solutions that are designed for lasting impact.

This nomination is a reflection of the people, partners, communities and stakeholders who continue to contribute to this work.

We’re grateful for the recognition and look forward to celebrating alongside organisations from around the world at the 2026 Reuters Events Global Sustainability Awards in London on the 21st of October.

Knowledge. Partnership. Action. Impact.

Today, we celebrate the stories, languages, traditions, and people that make us who we are. Our heritage shapes how we s...
24/09/2026

Today, we celebrate the stories, languages, traditions, and people that make us who we are.

Our heritage shapes how we see the world, how we show up for one another, and how we approach the work we do.

We see it in our people and the communities we work alongside. They remind us that our shared purpose is something to build on, and who we are is at the heart of what we bring to everything we do.

Here's to honouring our roots while powering a brighter tomorrow, together.

Happy Heritage Day! 🇿🇦

31/08/2026

Big dreams don’t always start big. Sometimes, they begin with a small idea, a little courage, and a decision to try.

For Anthea, it began in a spare room at home, with a dressing table and a small set of shampoos. “I was only thinking I’d do my cousin’s hair.” But the idea stayed with her. In 2018, she took a chance and joined Knowledge Pele’s Starter Pack programme.

Starter Pack helped her transform that small beginning into a proper salon, with new tiling, a basin and a more professional setup. As her business grew, Starter Pack Pro helped her take the next step, upgrading equipment and expanding her product offering. Today, Anthea has grown from a single room into a salon rooted in the community she loves. Her journey reflects our two-stage approach: Starter Pack lays the foundation, while Starter Pack Pro helps proven entrepreneurs scale.

Together, the programmes have invested over R6.8 million in more than 108 entrepreneurs, with survival rates of approximately 71%–74%.

As Anthea puts it, Knowledge Pele “comes in and sees what people don’t see: the fresh ideas and hidden potential in towns often overlooked from the outside."

18/08/2026

Meet Llewellyn, a Touwsrivier-based entrepreneur and living proof of what Starter Pack Pro was built for.

Born and raised in Worcester, Llewellyn moved to Touwsrivier about 10 years ago. He built a business from the ground up, starting with window washing and growing into solar panel cleaning at schools, carpet cleaning, and upholstery cleaning.

"I'm a natural entrepreneur," he says. "I just had to learn the book side of things."

That's exactly the gap Starter Pack Pro was built to close. Starter Pack and Starter Pack Pro were designed to empower underprivileged communities and tackle unemployment by helping entrepreneurs build sustainable, profitable businesses. Rather than simply providing funding, the programme equips entrepreneurs with essential tools and equipment to help them make informed, research-driven decisions and scale their ventures on their own terms.

For Llewellyn, that meant being selected by a panel of judges to receive the specialised equipment needed to expand his services, including the machinery he now uses for professional solar panel cleaning. With the right tools and greater credibility, he has also secured paid cleaning opportunities at local schools, creating a more sustainable income for his business.

His goal now? To create steady employment for others. "What I do is not for me; it's for the next generation. That is what I actually want," Says Llewellyn.

That's the ripple effect of Starter Pack Pro: one entrepreneur's growth becoming an opportunity for many.

09/08/2026

Women's Day is a reminder of the strength, sacrifice, and leadership of the women who came before us, and a call to keep building space for the women shaping our future.

At Pele Energy Group, we see the strength and leadership of women in action every day. We see it in the women powering our programmes, leading initiatives in their communities, creating opportunities, and driving meaningful impact from the ground up. When women are given opportunity, support, and a seat at the table, entire communities rise with them.

This Women's Day, we celebrate you: The woman who leads with care, shows up with reliability, and rises with humility and strength, because when women rise, communities thrive.

Happy Women’s Day!

#2026

27/07/2026

This week's Everyday Hero is someone who proves that when communities invest in people, the impact lasts for generations. Meet Caitlin Scheepers. A foundation phase teacher, proud mom, and living proof of what investing in people can do.

Caitlin first heard about a bursary opportunity through Knowledge Pele while she was in Grade 11. She applied and was one of the six people accepted into the programme. The bursary covered her studies at the University of the Western Cape, safe and secure accommodation, a laptop, and data to stay connected.

Caitlin's story is one of many made possible through The Four Rooms of Freedom, a community-based human capital infrastructure hub in Touwsrivier, Western Cape. Operated by Knowledge Pele on behalf of the Touwsrivier Community Trust, the resource centre serves as the central delivery node for CPV1's Socio-Economic & Enterprise Development (SEED) Programmes, bringing together digital access, technical training, enterprise development, and stakeholder engagement under one roof.

"I always knew I wanted to come back and give back in my community," says Caitlin.

Today, she's doing exactly that: shaping young minds in the classroom she once dreamed of standing in. That's what makes her our Everyday Hero.

Since launching in 2022, Knowledge Pele’s Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) Programme has developed a robust pipeline ...
08/07/2026

Since launching in 2022, Knowledge Pele’s Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) Programme has developed a robust pipeline of skilled technicians for South Africa's growing clean energy sector (explore the impact by swiping through the infographic)

The 12-month work-integrated learnership combines QCTO-aligned theoretical training with structured workplace experience at operating renewable energy facilities, equipping unemployed youth with the technical, employability and life skills needed for sustainable careers in renewable energy.

Since its pilot phase:

🟡 There have been 4 cohorts completed since 2022, with a 5th currently in progress.
🟡 176 learners have been enrolled between 2022 and 2025 with a 76.7% graduation rate.
🟡 More than 75% of graduates have been placed in employment, apprenticeships, or contract roles within the sector.
🟡 There has been a 55% female participation, reflecting our commitment to gender diversity in renewable energy.
🟡 1,800–2,000 hours have gone towards combined classroom and practical training per learner

RET Programme Graduates have gone on to take up operations and maintenance roles at solar PV plants, pursue further studies, and even establish their own electrical and solar installation businesses, with some remaining within the communities where these projects operate, contributing directly to local economic development.

This progress has been made possible through strategic partnerships with organisations including Copperton Wind Farm, CPV1 Solar Power Plant, Oya Energy Hybrid Facility, Scatec, Global Citizen, Noble Future, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), and Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA)

As we look ahead, our focus is on expanding annual intake, introducing new qualifications in solar PV and wind energy, deepening our national employer network, and further strengthening female participation as we continue building a lasting talent pipeline for South Africa's renewable energy future.

06/07/2026

Meet Our Everyday Hero, Erinie Dories, whose Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) training journey shifted from student to teacher:

When Erinie first applied to Knowledge Pele's RET Programme, she never imagined she'd one day stand in front of a new group of students as their facilitator.

"At first I was skeptical to apply," she admits. "I was thinking, maybe they're looking for a male." But she took the leap, and it changed the course of her life.

The RET Programme is a 12-month work-integrated learnership designed to build South Africa's next generation of skilled renewable energy technicians. It combines QCTO-aligned theoretical training, hands-on practical skills development, and real workplace experience in operating renewable energy facilities. This equips unemployed youth with the technical knowledge, employability skills, and life skills needed for sustainable careers in clean energy and for Erinie, the programme delivered exactly that.

What began as a learnership opened the door to furthering her studies, an opportunity she once couldn't afford. Today, she's paving her own path while helping to guide the next intake of students through the very programme that transformed her future. In contrast, six out of the seven learners in her initial cohort are now working at power plants across the industry.

"It's not just a programme, and it's not just about the stipend you receive," Erinie reflects. "You actually get a real opportunity to do something with your life."

For Erinie, being an Everyday Hero means being part of the change and inspiring others to find their path too.

01/07/2026

At Pele Energy Group, we often talk about the impact we create through our projects, programmes, and partnerships. But behind every statistic, milestone, and success story is a person whose life has been changed through opportunity, support, and determination.

Today, we are proud to launch Everyday Heroes, a campaign that spotlights the people at the heart of our work.

Over the coming months, we will take you on a journey through the communities, programmes, and initiatives that make up the Pele Green Energy and Knowledge Pele impact ecosystem. Through a series of inspiring stories, you'll meet individuals whose lives have been transformed through access to skills development, entrepreneurship opportunities, education, employment pathways, and community programmes.

Our first video serves as an introduction to the Everyday Heroes journey, showcasing the breadth of projects, programmes, and initiatives that are helping create lasting impact in Touwsrivier and beyond.

Starting next week, we will begin sharing individual hero stories, beginning with Erinie, whose journey through the RET Programme demonstrates what is possible when opportunity meets determination.

Each feature will go beyond the story itself. We'll take a closer look at the programmes behind the impact, hear from the teams who helped bring these initiatives to life, and explore how ordinary community members have become role models, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and leaders in their own right.

These are stories of resilience. Stories of growth. Stories of people creating change for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Because impact isn't only measured in megawatts generated or projects delivered. It's measured in people.

Address

3 Centex Close
Randburg
2196

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+27112620515

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