Damlaagte deepens community ties

Following its visits to Yakhisizwe Secondary School and Sindikile Primary School on Earth Day in April, representatives from the Damlaagte Solar Project spent more time with the two schools in the Tumahole township on 15 May, demonstrating their intention to build lasting community relationships.

The 97.5MW Damlaagte project, currently under construction near Parys, will provide approximately 300 million kWh of clean electricity. The EPC contractor is Power China Maanda joint venture, with LeadEPC and Tractionel Holdings as the two main sub-contractors.

The Damlaagte representatives started the day at Yakhisizwe Secondary School, where Grade 11 and 12 learners presented their “Planet vs Earth” project, which they were tasked with during the Damlaagte Earth Day event. The learners’ research highlighted factors that harm our planet, notably the greenhouse effect caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, and the pressing need to address water and air pollution.

Their presentation included potential solutions.

“I’m very proud of the learners, and I also thank Mainstream for choosing to associate with us, despite so many other schools in the area,” said Mr. MD Fongoqa, Yakhisizwe’s principal.

At Sindikile Primary School, the Damlaagte team was welcomed by learners singing and dancing, before the serious business of the learners’ “Planet vs Plastic” presentation began.

Among the information displayed on the charts the learners had prepared was the staggering fact that eight billion tons of plastic have been produced over the past 60 years.

The learners brought their work to life by delivering their presentation in the form of a play.

At both schools, the Damlaagte Solar Project partners presented the principals with R5 000 on behalf of the schools to address their most immediate challenges.

The last site visit of the day was at the Land Hope Garden Project, initiated by young people from Tumahole with the goal of supplying the community with vegetables and using the proceeds to buy shoes for learners in need.

One of the founders, Dawid Mpholo, shared the garden group’s ambition to grow and supply retailers. “We know this garden can go far and that it will benefit our community.”

In addition to donating seedlings and R5 000 in cash, the Damlaagte Solar Project pledged to arrange a meeting between the garden project and the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (SEDA). SEDA will assist with entrepreneurial skills, agricultural knowledge, and help register projects with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).”We are excited that Damlaagte saw our need and decided to assist us; this is amazing,” added Dawid.