Capacity building training for the Renewable Energy Associations of São Tomé and Príncipe

ALER, with the support of UNIDO, the GEF - Global Environment Facility, and the DGRNE - Directorate General for Natural Resources and Energy, carried out a training session between the January 31st and the February 4th for Renewable Energy Associations of São Tomé and Príncipe.

This training aims to train and strengthen national renewable energy associations in São Tomé and Príncipe, so that they can leverage their role as dynamic actors in São Tomé and Príncipe's energy transition to a context of greater relevance of renewable energies in the country's energy mix.

Over the course of a week, representatives of AENER - Santomean Association of Renewable Energies and APERAS - Association for the Promotion of Renewable Energies and Sustainable Environment of São Tomé and Príncipe, discussed with ALER the Santomean energy context, the challenges and opportunities of the sector and its Associations. A set of strategies and tools were developed to dynamize the Associations, such as an activity plan, an external communication plan, a strategy for attracting members and an operational and financial plan. This collaborative process made it possible to define short- and medium-term lines of action, and to encourage cooperation between the two Associations.

“This training exceeded my expectations and helped us to think about the next steps and activities to develop, to structure and dynamize our association. These days served to gain a coherent view of the opportunities that exist and to move from theory to practice”, said the representative of AENER.

For the representative of APERAS, ALER's contribution served to “strengthen us, and now it depends on us (…). We want to develop our country and that is also done with small actions that help us to grow”.