Siyanakakela Disability Centre, in Adelaide, whose relationship with Cookhouse Wind Farm
stretches back many years, has received additional support to help the facility stay COVID-19 free.
Funding has been provided to help the Centre comply with the conditions laid out by government
during the pandemic, which included fumigation of the facility, sanitizers, disinfectants, gloves and
thermometer for the re-opening of the centre.
“This Centre plays a critical societal role, by taking care of people with special needs. We believe that
the care for differently abled persons is a prudent service. Hence, we have been happy for the
opportunity to extend our relationship with this very special group of people, whom we have had
the pleasure of assisting since our wind farm began operating,” said Tshepo Kgoloane, Community
Operations Manager for Cookhouse Wind Farm.
Siyanakekela Disability Special Day Care Centre, which provides special care to differently abled
children, is the only such community centre for children with severe mental and physical disabilities
in Adelaide, Eastern Cape. This is one of the reasons that Cookhouse Wind Farm has been supporting
this very special Day Care Centre since 2015, funding the purchase of a much-needed school building
in addition to computers, outdoor and physical therapy equipment.
More recently, the wind farm assisted the centre with operational costs, building renovations and
training needs. And as always, local contractors and service providers were used to support local
business.
This is to help ensure that this organization will be able to generate a substantial portion of their
operational costs through fundraising, increased parental involvement and a stable donor base.
“Our Socio- Economic Development Programmes aim to empower our beneficiary communities so
that they can achieve greater independence, which is especially important for Siyanakekela Disability
Special Day Care Centre,” explained Kgoloane.
Prior to Siyanakekela Disability Special Day Care Centre opening its doors in 2010, there was no
school or care facility for children with disabilities in the Adelaide vicinity. This was not an ideal
situation, as many families weren’t capable or equipped to care for a differently abled child.
The Centre provides a safe haven and offers two meals a day for these children. They are also taught
elementary literacy skills, attend basic educational programmes, physiotherapy sessions, and much
loved handcrafting. In short, the centre is fully equipped to meet the needs of the 40 children it
cares for in addition to providing the necessary skills and training for its caregivers.
