Kwakhanya Mnconywa, from Bedford, is currently gaining hands-on experience through the Social Performance Internship Programme, an 18-month opportunity designed to equip local Eastern Cape youth with practical skills and work experience in community development. Funded by Cookhouse Wind Farm, the programme aims to nurture young professionals who are passionate about driving meaningful change through stakeholder engagement, socio-economic development project support, data reporting, and community liaison.
Driven by a belief in people-centred development and a desire to see communities treated as partners in progress, Kwakhanya holds an Honours degree in Development Studies.
“I’ve always believed that development must be people-centred. I applied for this role because I wanted to be part of work that doesn’t just build infrastructure but restores dignity,” she says.
Before joining Cookhouse Wind Farm, Kwakhanya served in student leadership roles where she advocated for fairness and representation.
“This experience taught me that real change happens when you work from both the inside and the ground up,” she added.
In her current role, Kwakhanya views herself as a bridge between policy and lived experience, ensuring that development plans translate into tangible, meaningful change.
“Even if the change is small, if it restores hope, it’s meaningful. My goal is to grow into a practitioner who not only understands the language of development but can live it, deliver it, and measure its human impact.”
Through the programme, interns are exposed to implementing and monitoring development initiatives that benefit surrounding communities, while also developing their understanding of communications, compliance, and stakeholder relations within the renewable energy industry.
“You don’t need a title to start,” Kwakhanya advises. “Pay attention to people’s realities, challenge your own comfort, and never underestimate the power of small, consistent acts rooted in respect and intention.”
