+150
children
CLEAN, NON-POLLUTING ENERGY
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
1 in 8 people still do not have access to electricity. In order to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, it is necessary to increase the use of renewable energy from 25 % today to 38 % in 2025.
ACCIONA is positioning itself as a key player in addressing the growth in energy demand while curbing the progress of global warming and promoting the transition to a decarbonized energy model.
CLIMATE ACTION
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
The generation and use of energy is responsible for 74 % of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world. This activity is the largest contributor to global warming. Investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other low carbon technologies will continue to be essential to meet the new needs of humanity and to minimise their negative impact on the environment.
ACCIONA considers the fight against climate change and its related effects to be a strategic priority. The Company is working to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in order to contribute to the progress of society and respond to the main challenges of sustainable development in the areas of infrastructure, water and energy, leading the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Gouda, in operation since 2015, is the first wind farm installed by ACCIONA in South Africa, located in the Cape Winelands District in the Western Cape Province. As part of their Socio-economic Development (SED) obligations and commitments of South Africa, focus is primarily geared towards education as most of the recipient’s benefits from the SED support in the area.
Gouda is a strong focus on poverty and alcohol and drug abuse. These have a direct effect on the physical and mental health of the community and significantly affect the children’s education. It is important to support the improvement of education, skills development and building the capacity of the local community to access to economic opportunities, and take charge of their own development.
The long-term strategy for local economic development includes education, job creation and skills development, a preferential procurement strategy that prioritizes the empowerment of local, black owned and women owned enterprises at a project level and in the implementation of the socioeconomic development program.
In order to support the education of the communities in the area of influence, the Energy division of ACCIONA supports the Gouda Educare Centre since 2016. In 2018, the aim of the project was to construct and equip a new building in order to provide a safe and secure environment within which the children of Gouda can receive quality early childhood development (ECD) opportunities. This will be supplemented by training to ensure that the new building is well maintained and used to its full potential once completed, and that the governance of the Educare Centre is of a high standard, benefiting over 150 young children of Gouda.
There are currently 4 teachers working at the ECD center in addition to the principal. Only 2 of them have an ECD qualification, this is why a training is critical to provide the teachers with additional practical skills and knowledge. The centre also employs a full time cook and a caretaker. The building is based on a large property and is made of 3 units. The units have 7 rooms which are 3 classrooms, a kitchen, the principal’s office and 2 bathrooms with multiple toilets.
The following progress was made:
- The ECD centre started operating from their new building on September 2018
- Security gates were installed at the two large sliding doors of the community hall
- Arrangements have been made for the manufacturing of an additional security gate for the ECD centre main entrance
- Two training sessions were done. This training was conducted with the ECD centre’s new governing body members. It covered the topics of: Vision, Mission, The NPO Constitution, NPO Compliance, Roles and Responsibility of the Governing Body, Challenges and Planning.
The Gouda wind farm is very proud to have been able to make such a difference in a poor community by making the opportunity to gain a great foundation phase education available to the community’s youngest members.