#WomensMonth: Local is lekker for windfarm project manager

Gaylene Koopman

Perdekraal East Wind Farm, situated within the Witzenberg local municipality, established its community offices in the picturesque town of Ceres last month and has already become a hub for community members, prospective employees and local enterprises. Born and raised in a small suburb close to Ceres, Koopman believes that her intimate local knowledge of the area will benefit the community members, which she now works to help.

The role of a wind farm project officer is a critical link between the wind farm’s construction team and the community in which the wind farm is being built.

She will manages job enquiries, proposals from local enterprises who are looking for ways to work alongside the construction partners and of course, is a source of information about wind energy.

Koopman explains how eager and excited the community members are about the prospects that the wind farm offers the people of Witzenberg. “I know how it feels to be an unemployed youth, but now I am one of the lucky ones who is employed by the project, and that means so much to me,” she says.

“Not only will I be able to work on the project, but I will also get a chance to put back what I have learned into my community and that is amazing for me.”