Construction of a community Safe Park in Loeriesfontein has commenced and is on track to launch later this year. This community programme will create a safe and caring environment for the community’s children and youth who are most at risk.
The Isibindi Safe Park infrastructure houses an office, homework area and a kitchen, which serves lunch for the children. Outdoor activities are conducted in the secure enclosed park and co-ordinated by trained Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCWs), who also provide care, support, and facilitate school homework.
“The creation of a safe space for our community’s children, especially those in child-headed households and affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS is the motivation behind this new-build project,” said Vanessa Fredericks, Economic Development Manager for Loeriesfontein Wind Farm.
Building began in September 2018 and is expected to be completed by December 2018. Local construction partners and labour means that thirty five jobs have been created in the Loeriesfontein community for the duration of the building of the safe park. The construction service provider sourced local labour in order to complete the assigned work. This in-turn also creates economic benefit for people from within the community.
“Local employment is very important and the new-build project allows us to support job creation, whilst the youth training aspect of the project, goes to building sustainable local skills,” added Fredericks.
Whilst Isibindi is aimed at children between the ages of 3 and 18, the programme also reaches out to provide support to the whole family, when needed through home visits. Funding allows for twelve previously unemployed community members, to be trained as skilled child and youth care workers, with a primary role of supporting children and families in their own homes.
This project forms part of the Loeriesfontein Wind Farm and Khobab Wind Farm socio economic development programme, whilst the construction funding fits into the project companies’ enterprise development plan.
