While Louise Williamson holds many titles, inventor, social entrepreneur and environmentalist, her mission has always been clear: to make the world a better place. “I have dedicated my career to positively impacting our planet and the communities we serve,” she says.
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Her work has garnered several accolades, including being named a finalist in the prestigious Santam Woman of the Future Awards, receiving both the Global Cleantech Innovation Social Impact Award and the Gibs Festival of Ideas Social Impact Award, for the invention of the Mashesha stove, as well as being awarded the African Entrepreneurship Award in Morocco.
She has also represented South Africa in the Women in Clean Cooking programme, a global initiative sponsored by SE4ALL, GWNET and the Clean Cooking Alliance, joining a cohort of 59 inspiring women changemakers from Asia, Haiti and Africa.
“Women face similar challenges regardless of geography or context,” she explains. “At the end of the day, people are people. It’s a privilege to collaborate with women in the community, to truly understand their needs, and to co-create sustainable solutions.”
In her role as project and implementation manager at Ener-G-Africa, she works hands-on with rural women to introduce climate-friendly cooking solutions that reduce emissions, health risks, and time poverty.
Taking a break from her groundbreaking work, she talks to us about navigating discrimination, why it’s okay to be different, and the time she raised an orphaned warthog!
What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?
I’ve always been a passionate environmentalist.
From as early as 13, I was part of outdoor and conservation clubs – camping, removing alien vegetation, and participating in school projects on nature.
A deep love for the environment made nature conservation a natural career path for me.
As my journey unfolded, I came to realise that people are central to conservation.
To protect the environment meaningfully, we need to change how people interact with it. That realisation shaped my path – blending environmental stewardship with social innovation.
Today, through my work at Ener-G-Africa, I focused on clean energy solutions that support both people and the planet.
It’s about empowering communities to live more sustainably.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
In the early days, being a woman in conservation meant constant pushback – women weren’t seen as strong enough or suitable for fieldwork.
I faced discrimination and was often excluded from hands-on tasks.
But I developed resilience, thick skin, and a bit of what I call ‘necessary stubbornness’. You have to stand your ground and push forward, even when others doubt you.
Later, when I stepped into entrepreneurship and innovation – especially without an engineering background – I faced scepticism. People would ask, “How did you design this?” I knew I had to be prepared.
So, I studied, upskilled myself and answered those questions with confidence and knowledge. I was fortunate to have parents who instilled self-belief.
My father, especially, raised me to be independent – changing tyres, fixing plugs – he reminded me that there’s nothing a girl can’t do.
What do you think is the secret to being a great leader?
People are your greatest asset. A great leader earns their team’s belief in the mission. If your team trusts you, aligns with your purpose and sees you walking the talk, they’ll walk with you.
Leading by example, treating everyone with respect and being open about the “why” behind decisions is key.
Structures in a business need to be clear, and everyone should feel ownership of the vision. If you’re not passionate about your work, how can you expect your team to be?
At EGA, we aim to build that culture – where passion and purpose drive innovation.
How do you work to empower other women?
I make a conscious effort to mentor and uplift women, particularly those entering the clean energy and sustainability space.
At EGA, we actively invest in women-led teams, provide technical training, and offer opportunities for hands-on innovation.
My door is always open for young women needing guidance or simply someone to say, “Yes, you can.”
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What initiatives or projects are you most proud of, and why do you believe they were successful?
One of my proudest moments was working with the Wildlife Society to help rural primary schools enter the national ETA Awards for renewable energy.
Over five years, I supported schools in designing sustainability projects, and they won!
What was most rewarding wasn’t just the awards, but the experiences the children gained: flying for the first time, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants. Their worldview expanded, and their confidence grew. It was transformative.
Another proud moment was raising an orphaned warthog, which came to live with us when he was only a couple of months old and still on a bottle. It was the strangest thing having a warthog follow me around and eventually insist on sleeping in the bed!
Thankfully, we lived in a nature reserve, and after a year, he left home to “find a wife”, but would always come around with his new family for snacks.
Another thing that came to mind was that, with the help of a vet and a darting pole, we managed to save a warthog caught in a snare.
That experience still makes my heartbeat faster and draw a great big sigh – I had been trying for two weeks to dart her. Remembering seeing her again after she healed still makes me smile.
And, of course, developing my own clean cookstove is a personal milestone. Taking a concept from an idea in your mind to a physical product proves that persistence, learning through failure, and believing in your mission make anything possible.
What advice would you give to other women aspiring to succeed in your industry?
Knowledge is critical – both theoretical and practical. I’ve seen too many well-intentioned programmes fail because they weren’t grounded in the realities of community life.
If you’re going to work in the field, immerse yourself in the lived experiences of the people you want to support.
Also, never give up. There’s always a way forward. Seek mentors, model your habits on successful leaders, read what they read, learn from their journeys, and adapt. And always stay curious.
How can we accelerate action for gender equality in South Africa?
We need stronger policy enforcement – policies that don’t just sound good on paper but actually drive systemic change. The right person, regardless of gender, should get the job. Too often, women are overlooked even when they are better qualified.
It’s also about shifting mindsets. Many decision-makers are men, and until perspectives change at the top, the cycle continues. We must hold organisations accountable – track progress, review hiring practices and create opportunities for women to rise and lead.
Finally, if you could meet yourself as a little girl, what would you tell her?
It’s okay to be different.
Celebrate your quirks, your curiosity and your love for nature. Those ‘oddities’ are your superpowers.
Embrace them – and never let anyone tell you that you don’t belong.
