kstone

About kstone

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far kstone has created 36 blog entries.

Ride for a Purpose with MES and 947 Ride Joburg

Calling on all cyclists to activate your heart for change! Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg returns to Joburg’s streets on 19 November 2023. This day is a call to action for individuals, communities, and organisations to raise funds towards bursaries to cover tuition fees and study materials for our 14 MES Joshuas. MES invites you to support our team and raise funds for the MES Joshua Youth Servant Leadership programme. But hurry, entries close on 18 October! How you can get involved with MES and Virgin Active 947 Ride Joburg Dedicate your ride to MES when you register for the Ride for a Purpose initiative on the 947 Ride Joburg website. Our code is: MES-509 or click here to redeem our promo code. Ride with our Joshua team on 19 November and you could qualify for an earlier start time. Help sponsor a MES branded race kit and race gear for our Joshuas. Join us at the MES water point on race day to motivate riders and celebrate the day in MES spirit! Donate a minimum of R2,500 as a personal donation or sponsorship from friends and family. Interested to get involved? Contact Kevin at MES Johannesburg on 011 725 6531 or email him at engage@mes.org.za REDEEM THE PROMO CODE MES-509 HERE Why support the MES "Ride for a Purpose" initiative? Funds raised will support the Joshuas with university registration, tuition fees, and study materials. You get an earlier start time. You could qualify for an 18A Tax Receipt – ask us how. Your involvement will go a long way to enable our Joshuas to continue supporting the youth and inner-city communities in Johannesburg. #ActivateYourHeart for change – Ride for a Purpose with MES at 947 Ride Joburg on 19 November! More about our Joshuas The Joshuas are an in-service programme comprised of 14 young matriculants who have taken a gap year to become servant leaders in their community. They play a key role within the Learners and Preschool focus groups, where they become mentors and tutors in the After School Programmes (ASPs). "Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle" is one of MES's core messages for 2023. We aim to raise funds for bursaries to cover tuition fees and stationery for the 14 Joshuas. We invite you to help us raise funds and awareness so that these young leaders can obtain higher education. Follow the Joshua's 947 Ride Joburg journey Regular updates will be shared in the gallery below.

Help survivors of Marshalltown fire

A fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning, 31 August 2023 at a five-storey building in Marshalltown, Johannesburg. Over 70 people died in the fatal incident, including 12 children, leaving more than 50 others injured. The building that burned down, was a home to more than 200 people, many of whom are now left homeless. MES is accommodating 70 survivors from the Marshalltown fire tragedy. We are motivated to restore dignity through Moulding, Serving and Empowering humanity. Please assist us with donations of food, toiletry packs and clothes. Donations can be delivered to 353 Main Street, Jeppestown. Your support can make a significant difference in helping those affected by this tragic incident. A little goes a long way! Monetary Donations: ABSA Bank MES General Acc no: 3240140208 Branch code: 632005 Swift: ABSAZAJJ Contact us for more information

83 unemployed youth join the Presidency’s Social Employment Fund

MES Joburg sign up 83 unemployed youngsters as part of the Presidency's Social Employment Fund MES Johannesburg is pleased to partner with the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on the Johannesburg Inner City Social Employment Programme (JICSEP) Social Employment Fund (SEF) roll-out. "We are honoured as this shows that MES Johannesburg is recognised as an agent of change, adding value to common national interest and notion of nation building. This is, once again, an opportunity to mould, empower, and serve our unemployed youth," said MES Johannesburg Branch Manager, Rev. Nicodemus Setshedi. Through the JICSEP, MES has signed up more than 80 members of the youth. Among them are graduates and unemployed youngsters from disadvantaged communities, stationed across the different Focus Groups in the organisation. SEF forms part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) which has been established to enable the Office of the Presidency, through the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC), as a conduit to providing grants to support social economic activities in communities, while reducing the scourge of youth unemployment in South Africa. As appointed by the Office of the Presidency, the IDC acts for and on behalf of the highest office as an agent. They identify strategic partners to assist in managing the funds allocated to the selected activities and the administration of SEF. IDC has identified JICSEP as one such strategic partner, who identified MES and other partners to contribute towards achieving the SEF objectives. Rev. Setshedi said it would be ideal and interesting to have the programme run for more than 12 months with an increased stipend.

Gqeberha (PE) completes water tank project

MES Gqeberha beats Day Zero with help from Gift of the Givers The countdown for Nelson Mandela Bay taps to run dry has ended for the MES Gqeberha branch in the Eastern Cape province. This follows a swift intervention by Gift of the Givers, responding to our call for sponsorship into the whole project - from drilling a water borehole - to installation of a running water system, connecting more than four (4) of the 5 000 litres of water tanks, donated in our building. "Our vulnerable and homeless clients will now breathe a sigh of relief after days of hardship in the province. We are grateful to have Gift of the Givers come on board and rescue the situation," said MES Gqeberha Branch Manager, Ronny Naude. In addition, private donors and the Robert Niven Trust also significantly contributed to the water tanks and infrastructure development. Situated at 1 Hiles Street in Korsten, MES Gqeberha accommodates more than 100 homeless clients in our Safe Spaces and shelter. The centre offers a restoration programme, counselling through our social workers, as well as a community soup outreach to those still living on the street. MES Gqeberha sells second-hand clothing at our Thrift shop, which can only benefit from your pre-loved clothing, to help us build an exciting shopping experience for our customers.

Liezel lands a permanent job

Liezel Moses is a 26-year-old mother, who arrived at our drop-in centre in Parow on the 18th of January 2022, looking for a job opportunity. She helps to support her family, including her parents, while caring for her own children, since none of them are employed.    After losing her partner of eight years in a car accident, she has been making her way toward healing and finding peace, step by step.   Liezel was referred to, our job rehabilitation program, GROW, and was then given the opportunity to partake in the PEP program, because of her tenacity.  Last Friday, Liezel received the wonderful news about landing her permanent job with the VRCID, our valued stakeholders.   Her new permanent employment contract started on Monday, 13 June 2022.  "We’re so proud of Liezel and the progress that she’s making.” - Anelle Erasmus, MES Marketing Manager 

MES social workers safeguard the rights of children

The Mould Empower Serve Social Work Services (SWSs) says they will do their utmost best as their responsibility to protect children from any acts of violence, exploitation, and abuse which may render them becoming homeless. The organisation made the remarks on Thursday, the 2nd of June, during the commemoration of Child Protection Week held at Laerskool Primary in Claremont, south of Johannesburg. Under the national theme “Let us Protect Children during COVID-19 and Beyond” led by Department of Social Development (DSD), Child Protection Week is marked annually between 29 May till 05 June, to raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and Children's Act No. 38 of 2005. As for MES Johannesburg’s Social Worker, Bongani Nxumalo, has encouraged an audience of more than two hundred Grade 6 and 7 Laerskool Primary learners to say no to the use of drugs, as well as, engaging in sexual activities at a young age. Nxumalo stressed the need for collective enforcement in rooting out so-called “blessers”, the adults who are involved in sexual activities with children in exchange for money or material items. “It is the duty of the learners to enjoy their childhood, and not allow obstacles such as drugs, and abuse to determine their future. Blessers are messing up with the future which is in the hands of children,” said Nxumalo. With the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour held recently and hosted by South African government in Durban between 15 and 20 May, Nxumalo condemned with strongest possible terms practices of child labour that are still prevalent in Africa involving 160 million children. Meanwhile, Captain Thomas De Bruyn, of Sophiatown Police Station in Johannesburg invigorated the pupils to report to their teachers any acts of bullying and selling of drugs which may be taking place in the school. While encouraging the learners to take their schoolwork as seriously as their future, the captain maintained that children should be regarded as angels and not criminals. “Do not think you’re too young not to get arrested. We have a juvenile prison designed specifically for young people like you, who may fail to be disciplined and involve themselves in illegal activities,” beamed Captain De Bruyn. The Child Protection Day commemoration featured Mosala Kelefetswe, a 34-year-old retired drug addict who gave testimony to learners about his past miserable life of drugs and criminal activities. Kelefetswe confessed to the audience that while he became homeless because of indulgence in drugs, he and his friends would steal and rob people in the inner city of Johannesburg. Interestingly, through the help of MES in 2013, Kelefetswe was rehabilitated through South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA), where he’s now a changed heart. Kelefetswe is now a Social Auxiliary Work student at the Joburg Child Welfare and is expected to graduate in July 2022. “Firstly, I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and saviour. There are different activities one can ...

MES, my saving grace

MES, my saving grace Like many others, Mpendulo Mahlalela (26) left his hometown and moved to Gauteng in search of employment opportunities. Mpendulo grew up in Jeppes Reef, Mpumalanga. He was raised by his Grandmother and completed his matric in 2015. After his Grandmother passed away, Mpendulo realised that he didn’t have anyone to lean on for financial support. He decided to go in search of a job somewhere else as he wasn’t having any luck in his hometown. Mpendulo arrived in Germiston at the end of 2021 with hopes of finding employment and a better life. But he was alone with no one to call or anywhere to go. After spending a week looking for work and living on the streets of Germiston, Mpendulo decided to leave and try his luck in Kempton Park. Mpendulo spent three days living next to a taxi rank in Kempton Park. This was where he met someone who told him about MES Kempton Park. He immediately made his way to us in search of shelter. Mpendulo has been with us since and he is determined to build a better life for himself. He has just joined the GROW job rehabilitation team. He shared that: “MES Kempton Park has given me more than I was looking for. Firstly, I am grateful for the humble service that I have received from the staff. I was welcomed without judgment and with patience and persistence my Social Worker continues to work with me through my various challenges”. “While working at GROW, my hope has been restored because I know that I have something to look forward to the following day, instead of sitting around aimlessly.” Mpendulo arrived in Germiston at the end of 2021 with hopes of finding employment and a better life.

Young heart changed and turned around for the better

A young heart changed and turned around for the better Rochihauno Ford (26) has been a participant in our GROW programme since April 2021. Unemployed, Ford approached us in search of help and received job rehabilitation support through GROW. Throughout his journey within the programme, Ford showed great potential, he was always on time and eager to learn. His stepfather, unfortunately, passed away last year, leaving him and his 2 siblings without financial support. Rochihauno enjoyed a special bond with his stepfather who was always there for him. His passing not only put the family in a financially vulnerable situation but has also taken a massive emotional toll on them. Rochihauno returned to the centre, put in extra effort, worked harder than before and soon became a GROW team leader. MES has been a place of spiritual and emotional support for him and has arranged for counselling to help him through the healing process. We are humbled by Ford’s personal journey and inspired by his resilience. He was awarded a place within the Public Employment Programme (PEP) as a team supervisor. Today, his good work ethic and positive attitude have landed him a permanent position at the VRCID cleaning department. Rochihauno Ford (26) has been a participant in our GROW programme since April 2021.

Go to Top