CHANGE BLOWS INTO COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
- BEE NEWS
- Oct 2
- 2 min read
Asemahle Vumsindo | 28 September 2025
The Makana Winds of Change Community Trust, which holds 26% of shares in the Waainek Wind Farm project, reaffirmed its commitment to socio-economic development in Makhanda and surrounding communities during its recent annual general meeting at the BB Zondani Community Hall. The Waainek Wind Farm, a 23.6 MW facility comprising eight Vestas turbines, has been fully operational since January 2016.
The Trust’s stake in the project allows it to channel resources toward transformative community initiatives in line with its mission to address unemployment, education gaps, and social challenges. The Trust’s programmes target beneficiaries across all age groups. Key focus areas include:
Birth to 2 years: Maternal and infant health through early care and nutrition.
2 to 6 years: Early childhood development and access to quality ECD services.
6 to 13 years: Literacy, numeracy, and school retention support.
13 to 18 years: Adolescent and high school youth empowerment, leadership, and resilience development.
18+ years: Tertiary education, skills development, livelihoods, economic development, and access to basic services and infrastructure.
Education and community engagement
The Trust continues to support GADRA’s QondaConnect programme, which tackles literacy challenges in schools by integrating content subjects like Natural Science into literacy instruction. The initiative provides teachers with curriculum-aligned materials and in-classroom mentoring, currently reaching 2 797 learners.In a partnership with Rhodes University, the Trust supports the Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) Social Innovation Hub. The hub provides training, mentoring, and enterprise development opportunities for local entrepreneurs, with 10 Mini Hubs benefiting hundreds of community members annually.
Sports and youth development
Youth-focused programmes, such as the Mfuzo Boxing Camp, receive support for coaching, transport to tournaments, team-building camps, and skills training. The camp trains school-aged boys and girls (14–18 years) and adults (19–40 years), with 29 boys and 25 girls currently enrolled.
Capacitation for local CBOs
This initiative provides community-based organisations (CBOs) with mentorship and training in governance, financial management, sustainability planning, proposal writing, and statutory compliance. The programme currently supports Mfuzo Boxing Camp, Makhanda Neighbourhood Crime Watch, and Ubuntu Bethu.
Call for proposals
The Trust has issued a call for proposals from organisations operating within the Makana Local Municipality. Priority areas include economic development, job creation, social cohesion, community wellness and safety, skills development, and education across all age groups, including youth and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).
Proposals must be submitted by 31 October 2025 to Bonolo Pule at b.pule@knowledgepele.com. Eligible organisations must be registered for at least two years, have sound financial management, and demonstrate the capacity to monitor and evaluate their projects effectively.
Through these efforts, the Makana Winds of Change Community Trust aims to foster sustainable growth, empower youth and vulnerable populations, and improve the quality of life for communities across Makana.
‘Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’.