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jou nuus ON FIRE: ’s five-member Flame Boyz Issue 4 • April 2018 (and a girl!) danced into the spotlight last year when they appeared on SA’s Got Talent on eTV. With members Leon Cherry and Jean-Claude Louw moving on, the remaining dancers – (inset, from left) Luwayne Koester, Nathely Masoling and Eldine Jacobs – recently entered, and won, SABC 2’s regional talent showcase, Showville – and R10 000 in prize money. Kouga Wind Farm has been proud to help them on their road to success by sponsoring transport, accommodation and meals. In return, this energetic crew has hosted dance workshops for youth in , Sea Vista and Umzamowethu. “Paying it forward, and loving it!” they say.

Thulani builds success For Thulani Nkuna, managing the building of the new Sea Vista Library is more than a job, it is helping to build his own future. hulani, who grew up in “Thulani has broader talents and “My plan for the future is to register KwaNomzamo, was appointed a special passion for architectural with the South African Council for Tby contractor Oupa Jack to computer draughting and is mostly self- the Architectural Profession as a oversee the day-to-day site activities, taught in this skill,” says Chris. candidate (assistant) making sure that the workmanship is Kouga Wind Farm is helping Thulani draughtsman and help top quality, and communicating with the add to his skills by sending him for others by designing principal agent and engineer about any training on Revit Architecture – their dream houses.” adjustments to the structure. computer-aided design software that He also wants to The 28-year-old holds a National helps building professionals to design build the skill levels Certificate (Level 4) in civil engineering 3D models of buildings. in his community by and building construction and is working He has completed the essential course teaching and hard to ensure that the residents of Sea and will move on to the intermediate and sharing what he Vista receive a building that will become advanced courses in April and July. has learned. a centre of information and learning. “The opportunity has made a difference According to principal agent on the project in my life by equipping me with the A proud Chris Milne, his talents soon became evident technical skills that are useful and Thulani holding to the implementation team. important in my career,” says Thulani. his certificate your news | iindaba zakho | jou nuus

IN HER OWN WORDS: Nozuko Ntshota, Sea Vista What I’ve learnt: My vision – to work on youth projects: RAINMAKERS READY TO LEAD “Despite my previous involvement “We have huge anti-social problems within in empowerment projects, the our community. Young girls – some still As Kouga Wind Farm’s innovative Rainmakers Development Programme Pathways, where the focus was on course was a real eye-opener. I in primary school – are getting pregnant HIV awareness and working with learnt about being resilient, what it and dropping out of school. Then there’s nears the end of its six-month run, the project has been hailed as a orphans, and an aquaponic gardening takes to be a good leader and how drugs, which is also a huge problem. success, both by organisers and participants. seminar at Nelson Mandela University’s to conduct myself in the business Part of the solution lies in creating more Missionvale Campus. world. This is all knowledge I will sporting opportunities, which would keep “These are all operational businesses definitely be able to use to assist children off the streets. Getting little ladies y recognising women as the pillars from which the women learnt a lot, and a others in the Sea Vista area.” together to form a women’s soccer team – of their communities, the wind lot of the knowledge gained will be useful or even two – would put Sea Vista firmly Bfarm is equipping and empowering when putting their own projects into on the equality map.” them to be agents of rapid, positive action,” she says. change where they live. According to Boniswa, the women Rainmakers currently has groups now need to use what they learnt to see running in Kruisfontein, Sea Vista, if their skills and abilities match what KwaNomzamo and Umzamowethu. they want to do next to uplift the socio- Lead facilitator Boniswa Orleyn says economic status of their communities. participants started off by learning more “If not, they need to look at a different about themselves. project, which will help them to learn “Earlier this year, the focus turned about, and tackle, community challenges. to taking the women on learning visits “The whole aim of the project was to places like the Mawethu sewing empowerment and thus far, we have and multipurpose cooperative, Ubuntu certainly achieved that.” Sea Vista Kruisfontein

IN HER OWN WORDS: Melissa Lufefe, KwaNomzamo

What I’ve learnt: by not sharing knowledge about “I have learnt so much, not only about career opportunities, but also myself, but also about how I can play accumulating relevant information a meaningful role in the community.” to guide youngsters on the right path. There is a real need for a youth My vision – to set up a youth centre: centre in our community and I am “When I was growing up we did passionate about establishing one. not have access to such facilities, Ploughing back and giving others the which was a real pity. There is opportunity to do what I could not is Umzamowethu KwaNomzamo so much you miss out on, not only my ultimate dream.”

n October, the National Sea Rescue programme aims to prevent such Institute visited 13 schools in Jeffreys tragedies by showing local kids how to Water IBay, Oyster Bay, and stay safe in or near water. Humansdorp, teaching almost 9,000 The WaterWise instructors, safety children about water safety. sponsored by Kouga Wind Farm, gave This was an important exercise the children a fun, easy-to-remember because almost 600 children drown lesson that included basic CPR every year in . The NSRI’s techniques, which could help them save saves lives Yazi Ngamanzi (“know about water”) a life one day.

DID YOU KNOW? Drowning is one of the top five causes of accidental death in South Africa. Children are most vulnerable. your news | iindaba zakho | jou nuus Kouga partners for PinkDrive

n an effort to boost the fight against tests were done – including clinical cancer in our community, Kouga breast examinations, mammograms, IWind Farm joined hands with the pap smears and ultrasound tests – and and Tsitsikamma wind hundreds of lives were changed. farms to bring the PinkDrive mobile Staff from the Department of Health, screening unit to the for local clinics and NGOs were also on the very first time. hand to screen for other diseases and The bright pink service unit, illnesses, such as HIV, tuberculosis, which conducts cancer education high blood pressure and diabetes. and testing for men and women, More than 700 learners at three high visited the communities of Sea schools also received health education Vista, KwaNomzamo, St Francis Bay, as part of the campaign. Jeffreys Bay, and Clarkson Affected community members, during Breast Cancer Awareness many of whom had undiagnosed Month (October). illnesses, have now been referred for Under the theme “Early detection further treatment to help them live saves lives”, over a thousand cancer healthier lives.

“I would advise all ladies to go for screening… because, if it were not for Kouga Wind Farm and PinkDrive, I wouldn’t have known that I have cervical cancer. Keep on doing the wonderful work that you do and uplifting our communities.” - NOZUKO NTSHOTA

DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES: Ten bright young graduates from Sea Vista were among this group who recently completed the Siyazenzela Plus programme presented by the Wilderness Foundation Africa. Sponsored by Kouga Wind Farm, the NQF level 2 assistant housekeeping course covered six weeks of theory and six weeks of practical training. The hospitality sector is one of the area’s major employers and this investment has equipped these graduates with sought-after, scarce skills. The 10 graduates are part of the first intake of 24 young people to be empowered by the Siyazenzela programme, with a total of 60 envisioned. .

More information: [email protected] • www.kougawindfarm.co.za