Loeriesfontein-based company RJ Cleaning Maids has benefited from the programme. Picture: Supplied
THE ASSET Based Community Development (ABCD) grant programme has, since its inception five years ago, supported numerous local entrepreneurs thanks to funding from Khobab and Loeriesfontein wind farms.
Romenda Wessels, the owner of RJ Cleaning Maids in Loeriesfontein, is one of the beneficiaries of the programme’s bottom-up community approach.
The programme has provided Wessels’s company and others with assistance to expand, enhance sustainability and provide employment opportunities in the area.
The programme aims to bolster the support provided to local entrepreneurs, while concurrently strengthening their skills in business planning, record maintenance and financial status awareness. It also focuses on business growth and fostering sustainability, thereby broadening employment prospects for the wider community.
With a focus on vehicle cleaning, RJ Cleaning Maids received funding to purchase essential equipment, including water pumps, pressure washers and wet and dry vacuums, as well as other essential equipment and materials.
The economic development manager for Loeriesfontein Wind Farm and Khobab Wind Farm, Vanessa Fredericks, said that with the addition of water pumps and water tanks, the company has been able to increase its operational efficiency and service quality, making it more environmentally friendly in terms of responsible water usage.
This has also secured the company work with major companies such as Siemens Gamesa and Loeriesfontein and Khobab wind farms.
Wessels, who is also the director of RJ Cleaning Maids, is immensely grateful for the support and opportunities provided by the Khobab and Loeriesfontein wind farms through their ABCD Grant Fund.
“In 2023, this initiative was instrumental in helping us acquire essential car-wash equipment that significantly enhanced our service capabilities. We look forward to continuing this fruitful relationship with the wind farms and contributing positively to our community's economic growth,” said Wessels.