Cookhouse: empowering women to celebrate african culture through fashion

In Cookhouse, a rural town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province we are supporting the Sophila Women Cookhouse Primary Cooperative (SWCPC), which is located near the Nojoli wind farm. The cooperative brings together a generational mix of women with diverse backgrounds to channel their technical and creative skills into a sustainable and adaptable business model: the design and sewing of uniforms for schools and cultural groups, tracksuits, traditional and fashion clothing and soft furnishings. Not only does this initiative create jobs in a country with a serious unemployment problem, it also helps to preserve and promote traditional African art, culture and heritage. The Nojoli wind farm, which was the first wind farm that Enel Green Power had in in South Africa has provided funding for key technology and machinery upgrades that have increased both production and efficiency. This has enabled the cooperative to service corporate clients and to continue to diversify its products. Unlocking potential The cooperative currently has five full-time employees, and has developed a reputation for producing quality clothing, while providing a highly professional, customer-centric service. It has become a shining example of fostering a sense of community through a collective vision. The cooperative is a space for both the young and mature women of Cookhouse to learn new skills that can lead to greater self-sufficiency and unlock new possibilities. This is a great example of the underlying potential for local communities to create sustainable economic opportunities and contribute to their development through entrepreneurship and innovation. The challenge for women By working closely with local communities, we are able to understand their needs and concerns and develop projects that are aligned with their priorities. Unemployment is a major challenge in the country, where a national rate of 32.7% was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022. Research by South Africa’s national statistical service highlights that not only do unemployment disparities exist, but women are also the most vulnerable people the labor market. Empowering local communities We firmly believe that the health and prosperity of the communities in which we operate are linked to – and will impact – our long-term success. And so, instead of treating the social and environmental issues present in these communities as peripheral concerns, we think that helping to address them is critical to our business strategy and operations. As we continue our journey toward the energy transition, we will carry on building lasting and empowering relationships with local stakeholders.

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Cookhouse: empowering women to celebrate african culture through fashion

Cookhouse: empowering women to celebrate african culture through fashion