Nkanyiso Madlala brings light to at-risk communities
Umlazi born and raised Nkanyiso Madlala is the founder of the Light Shines Flagship Program which aims to deliver energy efficient lighting to at-risk communities. Attending a technical high school in Durban with a focus on electrical engineering, before completing a business course at university and an honours degree in law. Thereafter he took time off to volunteer in the Republic of Georgia before returning to South Africa and starting to work in law on a pro-bono basis. From there he found work at an engineering company where he studied lighting systems in depth and was introduced to the energy sector.
Nkanyiso always had an entrepreneurial side, with his time in university partially funded by a side-business which saw him sourcing parts and stock for small business whose owners did not have cars. He also attended entrepreneurship programs at Gibbs where he met mentors that advised him on entrepreneurship and business. He doesn’t believe in making money for money’s sake. Following the concept of Ubuntu, he believes the only thing we leave behind is a legacy and the best way to do this is by helping people.
Photo by Mpumelelo Macu
Getting the idea for his project after being exposed to the field at the engineering firm where he worked, Nkanyiso found out about the high rates of crime at night in townships where there isn’t adequate street illumination, an issue which affects more than 11.5 million people in the 76 biggest townships. He realised that switching to energy-saving LED lighting would reduce energy use by 80% which lessens the load on the electrical grid while also reducing crime and increase economic activity at night. While the initial phase of the project is to introduce energy efficient lighting, the next phase will see them roll out WiFi access points in the lights which will provide affordable, fast internet to the underserved communities.
Nkanyiso has faced numerous challenges including funding for the project, as well as getting municipalities to adopt the new lighting systems as no one wants to be the first to implement such a project. Getting community buy-in is also a challenge and he has started an NGO called Light Shines Institute which aims to educate people about climate change and energy efficiency. A final challenge has been negotiating with internet providers to supply WiFi at an affordable cost and to set up the hardware and apps required to run the WiFi network.
Photo by Mpumelelo Macu
Nkanyiso cannot quantify the rewards he gets from having a project that helps people in at-risk communities and believes it is a duty that all should have, especially in a country with as high a crime rate as South Africa’s. Helping people who were previously unemployed get training and work in the installation of the lighting is something that gives him great joy, as does knowing that his projects reduce crime, giving communities more confidence and increasing economic activity in the areas, as well as numerous other benefits.
A staunch believer in continued learning, Nkanyiso hopes to gain a lot of knowledge at the Amaphiko academy to become a better person and citizen of South Africa and the world. He is looking to network with like-minded social entrepreneurs. He is hoping to improve his skills and through that improve the skills of his team, as well as get a fresh eye to look at his project and identify areas which can be improved so that he can work faster and more efficiently.