The Eskom Development Foundation recently completed a donation to the Community Action Partnership (CAP), a non-profit organisation based in Swellendam, Cape Town. CAP, which has been operational since 2011, focuses on achieving socio-economic, cultural and community goals by creating opportunities for local community members.
CAP trains and employs people like school drop-outs and those living with disabilities, who are typically excluded from the mainstream economy so that they too can be able to earn an income. The organisation applies an entrepreneurial approach to fruit packaging. The revenue that they generate is reinvested in other programmes that they run such as an early childhood development project, parenting intervention projects and a general day-care for disabled children and adults.
The CAP had approached and requested Eskom for assistance in improving their working environment and safety for their worker beneficiaries. Eskom heeded the call and made a donation towards the insulation and upgrading of their good processing unit, installation of a drainage system, painting, plumbing installation as well as safety clothing.
Eskom Development Foundation CEO, Cecil Ramonotsi, says Eskom is committed to making a contribution towards the economic development of South Africans and helping communities become self-sustaining. “CAP is now in a better position to help more community members who were previously left out to become economically active and contributing members of society. The 199 workers that they have, including 72 who are living with disabilities, are now fitted out with the necessary safety clothing and boots and the environment in which they work has been revitalised. As Eskom, we are proud to be enablers of such great progress for our fellow countrymen,” says Ramonotsi.
