Projects and Reference List GREEN Solar Academy
Past and current projects
As a training provider and expert for training concepts, curriculum development and teaching materials, we have worked on several projects in the renewable energy sector and are active as consultants in the field of solar training. Here is a collection of outstanding activities and projects we have realised over the years:
GREEN conceptualised and delivered an interdisciplinary workshop for female students aimed at encouraging greater participation of women in the solar energy sector, while creating a space for international exchange on renewability and sustainability. The workshop focused on empowering young women to explore career pathways in solar energy and to engage critically with sustainable development from both local and global perspectives.
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The two-day event took place at Takoradi Technical University in Ghana under the motto (Ex)change Perspectives. It brought together female university students alongside speakers and moderators from Ghana, South Africa, Germany, and Argentina.
Through highly participatory formats—including group discussions, interactive presentations, and collaborative development of ideas for sustainable businesses, concepts, and infrastructure—the workshop fostered peer learning, cross-cultural dialogue, and practical engagement with renewable energy topics. A direct outcome of the activity was a noticeable increase in registrations by female participants for the three-week solar installation course offered at Takoradi Technical University’s Solar Training Centre.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: University Students
Country: Ghana
Period: March 2023
Project Partners: Valentin Software GmbH, Takoradi Technical University
Project Title: (Ex)change Perspectives
GREEN Solar Academy designed and equipped a 100% off-grid solar centre in Alicedale, Eastern Cape to test the concept of remote training in rural areas. The GREEN Solar Center in Alicedale functions as a community information and training hub, additionally providing energy services such as a charging station, internet café, and a shop for small solar appliances.
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The GREEN Solar Centre Alicedale is one of 9 Living Labs implemented in different African countries as part of the Smart Energy Solution for Africa (SESA) programme funded by the European Commission. Living Labs are real-life test beds for innovative energy solutions that allow SESA to experiment with ideas in different environments and gauge whether they have the potential to be rolled out in more locations.
With the assistance of GREEN’s technology partners Phocos, RenewSys and Axiz Solar, and the aid of the PV Installation company LCP Roofing, GREEN Solar Academy set up a solar training centre in a refurbished container. The solar training centre is completely self-powered, incorporating 16.32 kWp PV generator capacity, 15 kW inverter capacity, and 30kWh battery capacity.
We use this centre to do training on two fronts: first, we offer access to our GREEN eLearning programmes Principles of PV Systems and PV Off-Grid Technician, to give people in the community and surrounding region the knowledge and skills to participate in the Just Energy Transition; and second, we provide a real workplace experience for the team of interns who operate the centre on a daily basis.
The services offered by the interns at the solar training realise an income for the operation of the container, and include paid access to WiFi, device-charging, document copying and printing, the sale of small self-contained solar solutions, and the rental of uYilo Mobility’s electric vehicles. Click here to read the full story.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth, Professionals
Country: South Africa
Period: 2022
Project Partner: uYilo e-mobility programme
Project Title: SESA
Client / Contractor: Siemens Stiftung as part of Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA)
GREEN Solar Academy was appointed as technical consultant to support the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) in developing a national Solar PV Installer Accreditation Programme, covering stakeholder consultation, programme design, assessor training, assessment development and pilot implementation. The project laid the foundation for a nationally recognised licensing and assessment system for solar PV installers in Eswatini.
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The Solar PV Installer Accreditation Programme in Eswatini was developed to professionalise the rapidly-growing solar sector by establishing a structured, quality-assured framework for training, testing, and licensing PV installers.
GREEN Solar Academy was contracted by ESERA as the technical consultant to guide the development and implementation of this programme in close collaboration with national institutions.
Stakeholder Dialogue and Programme Scoping
As a first phase, GREEN supported ESERA in setting up and facilitating a Technical Working Group (TWG) and leading a structured stakeholder dialogue process. This included moderating TWG meetings, identifying and engaging key stakeholders across the solar PV ecosystem, and conducting an in-person stakeholder engagement workshop. The dialogue focused on assessing the status of the PV industry in Eswatini, defining accreditation and training needs, and agreeing on roles, responsibilities, and a shared roadmap for implementation.
Development of the PV Installer Accreditation Programme
Building on the outcomes of the stakeholder dialogue and assessor workshops, GREEN supported the development of the national PV installer assessment system. This included moderating expert panel discussions and jointly developing the complete procedure for the PV installer accreditation programme with the Technical Working Group (TWG), including all required documentation, to ensure a fair, transparent, and consistent accreditation system.
As a final step, GREEN provided hands-on implementation support for Eswatini’s first PV installer assessments. GREEN assessors guided DIVT (Directorate of Industrial and Vocational Training) assessors during preparation and delivery of the assessments, supported the setup of the assessment centre, and ensured proper moderation, documentation, and feedback processes.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: Eswatini
Period: November 2024 to November 2025
Project Title: Development of a solar PV installer accreditation programme in Eswatini
Client / Contractor: Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA)
GREEN’s role in the PartnerAfrica Ghana project was to develop curricula and training content on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) for training and information sessions for different target groups in Ghana, and to deliver these events in Ghana. In order to evaluate the knowledge and training needs of the target group, GREEN conducted several interviews with representatives of the target group and a stakeholder dialogue.
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Together with experienced GREEN trainers from the GREEN Solar Academy Ghana and Ethiopia, we developed a comprehensive 4-day training programme focusing on types of pumping & irrigation systems, pumping concepts, water requirements for irrigation, system planning & design, O&M and the financial viability of SPIS in cocoa farming. We delivered the training twice, once to members of the Renewable Energy Working Group of the Association of Ghana Industries in Accra and once to engineering students at the Takoradi Technical University.
The aim of the PartnerAfrica project in Ghana was not only to train PV installers, but also to educate cocoa farmers and the food processing industry about the potential of solar irrigation, so we designed and delivered 17 end-user information sessions.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: Ghana
Period: Nov 2022 to Oct 2023
Other Involved Parties: GREEN Solar Academy Ghana
Project Title: PartnerAfrica Project Ghana (PAPG) “Solar Ghana Cocoa” in the framework of the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation between the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI)
Client / Contractor: Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V.
DGS in collaboration with GREEN Solar Academy converted training material for a short course for solar PV installers at vocational training level in Ethiopia into an eLearning course.
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GREEN developed the course concept and implementation roadmap. The training content created consists of 33 lectures with a narrating voice, 26 practical videos and 7 podcasts and each lecture includes interactive exercises. The course is divided into 7 chapters of which each ends with an exam. The course was created in English and Amharic language. The technical implementation was realised by Zabai Ltd. who created the eLearning platform. After the course creation, the Ethiopian college teachers were trained in the eLearning content and handling of the eLearning platform by GREEN and Zabai and a concept to integrate the eLearning into existing teaching structures was jointly developed.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Trainers and Teachers, Youth
Country: Ethiopia
Period: 2020 to 2021
Project Partners: LV Thüringen der DGS e.V., Zabai Ltd.
Project Title: Digital and Online Green Energy TVET
Client / Contractor: ADRA Deutschland e.V.
DGS in partnership with GREEN and the Solar Energy Foundation facilitated the development of a national solar PV curriculum and teaching and learning material for TVET colleges in Ethiopia.
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At 4 pilot colleges in Tigray and Oromia, training facilities were equipped with PV demo systems and training of trainers was implemented for the teachers of the 4 pilot colleges.
In cooperation with the task force of the Ethiopian Federal and regional TVET agencies, a solar training curriculum was finalised and the team facilitated the task force with the development of learner guides, teacher guides and assessment guides for a 3-year training programme. From the full qualification, a 3-months short course was extracted and the training material was prepared accordingly. Based on the short course, teachers from the 4 pilot colleges were trained in two batches in Adama and Mekele.
The training focused on solar PV basics, basic design and installation of PV off-grid systems and comprised of a theoretical training part with exercises and a practical part where the teachers facilitated the installation of the 4 demo PV systems at the colleges.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Trainers and Teachers
Country: Ethiopia
Period: 2019 to 2021
Project Partners: LV Thüringen der DGS e.V., Solar Energy Foundation Ethiopia
Project Title: GREEN Energy TVET in Oromia and Tigray, AF19-036
Client / Contractor: ADRA Deutschland e.V.
GREEN Solar Academy has partnered with Life Choices Academy to develop and implement a year-long solar and personal skills development programme paired with internships for technically-inclined youth, where participants who complete the program will earn the qualification of Solar PV Assistant Installer.
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We spent two years developing this programme based both on our own experience as well as input from industry stakeholders on skillsets required in the solar industry. Suitable candidates for the training are aged 20 to 30 with with N4 to N6 electrical engineering qualifications.
The first phase of the programme is an 8-week training syllabus based on existing DGS and SAIEE-accredited GREEN Solar Academy courses, as well as Life Choices personal development modules. The training includes blended learning based on the GREEN eLearning PV Off-Grid Technician and the GREEN Solar 101 basic theory training, GREEN PV Mounter practical training, industry engagement through site visits and guest talks and lectures, as well as modules from Life Choices’ life skills and professional development training.
The second phase of the programme is a 10-month quality workplace experience with a GREEN Alumni network company. During this period, both interns and host companies actively receive support and feedback from Life Choices.
The third and final phase involves a two week recap training and assessment at the Solar Youth Academy. Successful completion of the programme will result in the qualification of Solar PV Assistant Installer for the candidate. GREEN is currently seeking QCTO and German AHK certification for the qualification.
This programme will result in 138 candidates being trained over a 3-year period, and a ready supply of professionally-trained interns for SA’s PV sector. The pilot group of 23 has already completed phase 1 and has moved into internships for their on-the-job training.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth
Country: South Africa
Period: 2024 – Ongoing
Project Partner: Life Choices
Project Title: GREEN Solar Youth Academy – Pilot training of Solar PV Assistant Installer
Client / Contractor: Maria Marina Foundation
Unnati Training Academy subcontracted GREEN to deliver the practical PV Mounter Plus training for 30 young participants as part of the YDE–Lumen30 project. YDE–Lumen30 is a corporate social responsibility initiative launched by Yellow Door Energy, in partnership with the charitable foundation Actis Acts, to tackle youth unemployment and energy insecurity in Alexandra through solar skills development.
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GREEN Solar Academy delivered the five-day hands-on PV Mounter Plus training to 30 young participants at its Johannesburg GREEN Solar Academy, covering installation planning, site preparation and safety, practical PV installation on various roof types, system wiring (AC/DC), and inverter commissioning, with participants trained in two groups to ensure maximum practical experience.
The GREEN Plus courses are extended versions of the accredited training programmes, tailored specifically for youth.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth
Country: South Africa
Period: May 2025
Project Title: PV Mounter Plus training for the youth
Client / Contractor: Unnati Training Academy
GREEN Solar Academy was contracted by UNIKIMS to advise the Moving Windmills Project in Malawi on maximising the efficiency of existing solar installations at its community hubs and to evaluate the demand and potential for solar PV training at its planned Innovation Centre.
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GREEN joined a field trip with international renewable energy experts to visit multiple Moving Windmills project sites, where it reviewed existing PV installations and provided technical recommendations to improve system performance and sustainability.
In parallel, GREEN assessed the feasibility and relevance of introducing structured solar PV training at the planned Innovation Centre, with a focus on skills development, local capacity building, and long-term integration of renewable energy training into the project’s education and innovation activities.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth, Trainers and Teachers
Country: Malawi
Period: August 2024
Project Partner: Unikims (Management School of the University of Kassel)
Project Title: Advise Moving Windmills on solar design and assess potential for solar training
Client / Contractor: Moving Windmills, XM9H+63F, Chimphepo, Malawi
GREEN Solar Academy trained 20 qualified electricians on the 5-day SuperSolarSchool, our PV GreenCard training for SAPVIA (South African Photovoltaic Industry Association) and EWSETA (Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority).
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GREEN assisted SAPVIA with the registration of participants, provided a group training for 17 participants in Johannesburg and offered 3 participants to attend a scheduled training in Cape Town.
GREEN’s task was to prepare the participants for the SAPVIA PV Assessment with the SuperSolarSchool Training. The goal of the SAPVIA, EWSETA cooperation project was to increase the pool of upskilled electricians and PV GreenCard certified installers.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: South Africa
Period: November 2023
Project Title: PV GREENCARD TRAINING
Client / Contractor: SAPVIA – South African PV Industry Association
GREEN Solar Academy developed a training and training progress monitoring package for SANEDI’s Energy Service Companies. The training was aimed at meeting the overall training objectives for SANEDI Energy Service Companies (ESCo’s), which include gaining/enhancing safe and quality Solar PV installation skills.
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GREEN conducted a 5-day PV GreenCard SuperSolarSchool training program at the GREEN Solar Academy Gauteng, which was divided into three batches and accommodated a total of 60 participants. GREEN collaborated with SANEDI to select the participants and provide guidance on the selection criteria and considerations for participant screening. To measure the program’s effectiveness, GREEN designed an online pre- and post-training knowledge assessments. GREEN also carefully recorded the progress of the participants and the project as a whole. This culminated in a comprehensive project report.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: South Africa
Period: May to October 2023
Project Title: PV GreenCard training for SANEDI Energy Service Companies (ESCo’s)
Client / Contractor: SANEDI (South African National Energy Development Institute)
GREEN Solar Academy was contracted under a GIZ programme CPD4E to prepare 126 TVET graduates from six different TVET colleges for the SAPVIA PV Installer Assessment, delivering an end-to-end preparation process that included initial theory assessments, deficit analysis, targeted remedial training, and coordinated theory and practical assessment readiness support.
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GREEN implemented a structured SAPVIA PV Assessment Preparation process for TVET graduates from six TVET colleges: Ekurhuleni East, Ekurhuleni West, Sekhukhune, Flavius Mareka, Eastcape Midlands, and Northlink.
The process began with a first round of theoretical assessments conducted at the TVET colleges, allowing GREEN to evaluate participant knowledge and identify common gaps. Based on this analysis, GREEN developed and delivered a targeted remedial training programme, combining theory revision, PV system design preparation, and assessment-focused guidance.
Following the remedial phase, participants completed the full SAPVIA PV Assessment, with theory and design components written at the TVET colleges and practical assessments conducted at GREEN Solar Academy training centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Gqeberha.
The project included intensive coordination, logistics management, and continuous stakeholder engagement across multiple institutions, forming a critical part of GREEN’s role.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth
Country: South Africa
Period: November 2024 to December 2025
Project Title: Career Path Development for Employment (CPD4E), PV Greencard Assessment
Client / Contractor: giz I Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
GREEN was subcontracted by the Atlantis Special Economic Zone to deliver practical PV Mounter Plus training to 20 selected beneficiaries, with Atlantis implementing the programme in collaboration with MERSETA. The initiative formed part of a broader solar skills development effort to support youth employability in the renewable energy sector.
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GREEN Solar Academy delivered the four-day hands-on PV Mounter Plus training at its Cape Town training centre, covering installation planning, site preparation and safety, practical PV installation on various roof types, system wiring (AC/DC), and inverter commissioning.
The GREEN Plus courses are extended versions of the accredited training programmes, tailored specifically for youth.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth
Country: South Africa
Period: July 2025
Project Title: PV Mounting Youth Training – Atlantis SEZ
Client / Contractor: Atlantis Special Economic Zone Company SOC LTD
GREEN and Valentin Software GmbH facilitated the development of photovoltaic training programmes for Ghanaian and Togolese students and young graduates in partnership with the Takoradi Technical University, TTU, and the Kya Energy Institute, respectively and set up a fully equipped Solar Training Centre at the university.
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In Ghana, the project began with the design of the Solar Training Centre for the Takoradi Technical University, which was equipped with two PV system model roofs. The centre was officially inaugurated in early 2022. GREEN offered a training of trainers programme to 30 lecturers and facilitated the creation of a PV training programme for B-Tech graduates and engineering students. Furthermore, GREEN facilitated the implementation of the first training sessions to enable TTU to independently offer the course in the long run.
Parallel to the work in Ghana, an online training solution was developed for Togo. Together with the project partner KYA Energy Institute, the GREEN eLearning platform, green.zabai.org, was adapted for Togo and the entire French-speaking West African region. 2 eLearning programmes, the basic course Principles of PV Systems and the advanced course PV Off-grid Technician, were translated and adapted for the French-speaking West African market. GREEN also developed and delivered a training of trainers programme to use the eLearning courses as blended learning materials and trained 22 university lecturers from 10 African countries.
As a result, a total of 52 trainers/lecturers and 609 students were trained in 11 countries. GREEN also supported the involved University to set up an internship and job placement programme.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Trainers and Teachers, University Students
Country: Ghana, Togo
Period: Oct 2020 to Sep 2023
Project Partners: Valentin Software GmbH, University of Lomé, KYA-Energy Group, Takoradi Technical University
Project Title: developpp Ghana & Togo Implementation of PV training at universities in Ghana and Togo and job placement for the youth, SAP Nr. 4620
Client / Contractor: DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
GREEN Solar Academy in partnership with DGS provided consulting services in Mozambique to support the development of photovoltaic (PV) training systems and capacity-building strategies under a GIZ-supported energy programme. The assignment focused on analysing training demand across the PV value chain and designing structured pathways for skills development and trainer qualification.
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GREEN designed and implemented a comprehensive consulting process that included stakeholder dialogue workshops, field-based assessments, and expert facilitation with public institutions, private sector actors, and training providers. GREEN analysed existing curricula and training offers, identified skills gaps within the Mozambican PV market, and translated these findings into concrete recommendations. Based on the findings, GREEN provided strategic recommendations and outlined possible training concepts and roadmaps for photovoltaic training programmes, including Training-of-Trainers approaches.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: Mozambique
Period: 2019
Project Partner: LV Thüringen der DGS e.V.
Project Title: Consulting for training in the PV sector
Client / Contractor: GIZ Mozambique Energising Development (EnDev)
DGS and GREEN led a practical one-day PV workshop for the Lusentia Future Academy at the LEAG Conference in Lübbenau. 50 young people aged 18 to 27 from Berlin, Saxony, and Brandenburg learned about the energy transition, sustainability, and getting involved in the region’s future. The workshop covered assembling a solar home system and included some demonstrations with leXsolar GmbH kits.
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Our cooperation with QLEE is ongoing, and GREEN Solar Academy continues to serve as their long-term partner for PV skills development, particularly in aligning training content with both local employment opportunities and global industry standards.
QLEE – Qualification Lausitz for Energy and Electro Mobility is a skills development initiative based in the Lusatia (Lausitz) region of Germany, an area undergoing structural transformation due to the gradual phase-out of coal mining. QLEE focuses on upskilling workers from traditional industries, particularly the mining and energy sectors, for employment in renewable energy, electromobility, and digital technologies.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals, Youth
Country: Germany
Period: August 2023 to April 2025
Project Partner: maxx-solar energy PTY Ltd
Project Title: QLEE Future Academy Youth Workshop
Client / Contractor: LEAG AG (Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG)
GREEN Solar Academy used Young Africa’s mobile solar energy training unit to train 60 Entrepreneurs of SME’s in three different regions of rural Northern Namibia.
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The object of the training was to increase access to solar-related skills training for youths in remote unserved or underserved areas of the country and increase the awareness of green energy among communities and municipalities of at least 9 regions of Namibia (Ohangwena; Oshikoto; Oshana; Omusati; Kunene; Kavango East; Kavango West; Omaheke and Karas Regions).
GREEN used Young Africa Namibia’s Mobile Outreach Training Unit, a purpose-built mobile solar energy training unit, to deliver the 3-day Solar 101 Course at three different locations, with 20 participants attending each training.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals, Youth
Country: Namibia
Period: October 2022
Client / Contractor: Young Africa Namibia funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
GREEN Solar Academy trained sales employees from Masana Petroleum Solutions on the Solar 101 course, which is an intro into the Solar PV industry. GREEN assisted with the registration of all the participants and provided a group training for 18 participants in our Johannesburg training centre.
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PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: South Africa
Period: October 2023
Client / Contractor: Masana Petroleum Solutions
GREEN Solar Academy developed a 2-month youth solar training programme covering electrical & energy management, solar PV installation & mounting and working at heights for the Youth Employment Services (YES) incubation hub in Alexandra, Gauteng.
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GREEN created a specialised training syllabus for 80 youth from Alex. We offered a blended learning experience that included practical and theoretical training by tailored the content of 3 existing courses and adding one full week of working at heights training. The customised training included frequent evaluation by GREEN of the trainees’ progress through exams developed specifically for this purpose.
YES supplemented the technical upskilling with training that focused on entrepreneurship, work readiness and basic digital literacy.
GREEN also developed the initial questionnaires used to recruit trainees and conducted the interviews to select the participants. Those chosen were aged 19 to 25 with an N4 matric qualification and some workplace experience.
Following the 8-week training, GREEN used its Alumni Network to find host companies for the trainees. After two months with a company, YES pays the stipend of the youth and the company benefits from BBB-EE points.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Youth
Country: South Africa
Period: 2024
Project Title: YES Solar Incubation Hub
Client / Contractor: Youth Employment Services (YES)
GREEN trained 17 women, electricians of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on the 5-day SuperSolarSchool comprehensive theory and practical course.
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The participants were trained in 2 batches, 1 group of 7 and another group of 10 at the GREEN Solar Academy centre in Port Elizabeth. GREEN assisted with the registration of all 17 participants for the course and also provided course evaluation, project timesheets and training pictures to our project partner maxx of which they used on the project report.
PROJECT DETAILS
Target Group: Professionals
Country: South Africa
Period: 2023
Project Partner: maxx-solar energy PTY Ltd
Project Title: Business Scouts Network for development – Preparation, coordination and implementation of solar
PV training for women in South Africa
Client / Contractor: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
