Families in the Sea Vista community near St Francis Bay were devastated after their homes were gutted by fire in October 2016.
As an integral part of this close-knit community, the wind farm felt it was important to reach out and show its support to the 30 affected families by providing them with the building materials needed to rebuild their homes.
Part of this assistance included a community awareness campaign focusing on fire safety training, first aid and the dangers of substance abuse, as the latter was thought to be a contributing factor in the cause of the fire.
Although Kouga Wind Farm does not ordinarily give handouts, the fires highlighted some fundamental issues that the wind farm is working hard to address. This “back to basics” social development strategy focuses on issues such as fire safety, substance abuse, and health and hygiene in surrounding communities.
The affected families were accommodated in community facilities or with friends and relatives while the rebuilding got underway. Kouga Wind Farm is also working with the local municipality, which has undertaken to install fire hydrants and domestic fire alarms to prevent losses on this scale from happening again.