Kethian Douwire (20) from Caledon, in the Western Cape, is one of 13 students currently studying with the help of the Globeleq Communities Scholarship Fund, awarded by the local Kliphuewel Wind Farm. In fact, he is following in his older brotherâs footsteps, as the second member of his family to have received financial assistance from this Wind Farm.
âMy oldest brother was also a recipient of this scholarship fund. He first started going to University in 2015, to undertake a Sports Science Degree, however, the seed was first planted back when I was in Grade 7 when we were introduced to the programme at school â and I have remembered it over all these years and hoped to benefit one day,â said Kethian Douwire.
He is currently in his second year, studying a BA Tourism and Economics, through the University of the Western Cape, with the hopes of graduating at the end of 2022. He is hoping to do well enough to continue with an Honours Degree, believing that with more education comes more opportunities.
âThis bursary has opened doors where doors didnât exist, especially during this Covid period, when money has been very scarce. Without this bursary it would have been very difficult for me to continue my studies, from a financial point of view. My mom isnât currently working and my father is a truck driver, so this support is most definitely appreciated and has come at the perfect time,â explaind Kethian, who had to return to Caledon due to the lockdown, as with many other students, who havenât able to attend lectures on campus.
Kethian is one of twenty-eight students who have been funded by the Klipheuwel Wind Farm Bursary programme, since the inception of the programme in 2016. The bursary programme is open to ambitious youth in the Theewaterskloof Municipality communities of Genadendal, Caledon, Grabouw, Botriver and Hermanus.
âWe know how tough the pandemic has been on our beneficiary students, most of whom find it much harder to study online,â concluded Hlengiwe Radebe, Economic Development Director for Klipheuwel Wind Farm, who explained that the wind farm keeps in touch with the bursary recipients, helping to motivate them to achieve their goals.
