News

Western Cape Premier Winde visits MES Centre of Hope The Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, recently toured the newly launched Parow Centre of Hope at MES Cape Town - a full-service facility for the homeless. Premier Winde called on Capetonians to get involved in this colossal project of ending homelessness in the inner South African cities.

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 ...

One would think that December resembles ending off, rest and winding down...well, not for us! December meant the opening and renovating of our new Centre of Hope in Durbanville.  In our world, December meant starting things, working hard, and winding up! After two years of prayer for a place within Durbanville, the City of Cape Town granted us the use of the old Lions Club which became a reality during the festive season. By the grace and goodness of God, we received an empty building with one desk, filled with potential and hope. We jumped in and started sourcing everything we needed to operate, reaching out to churches, schools, local businesses and community members. Our Durbanville community was simply amazing. Our GROW teams grew every day, we prepared meals, shared stories and had so much fun! On Christmas day, we served a fully cooked lunch with gammon, roast potatoes, fresh salads and much more. Tables were decorated to the brim and many of our clients enjoyed their first Christmas lunch at a beautifully set table with a filling lunch. We could not bear the thought of closing our Centre of Hope so continued serving our clients over the festive days. The new year started off with a bang! We implemented daily workshops, the Meal Voucher system, and started teaching values and speaking about dreams. Our GROW team also had their first Brightstar training sessions where life skills were taught, and hope was restored. Our aim with the Centre of Hope is to get businesses, churches and communities to take hands. We are currently engaging with the City of Cape Town, neighbourhood watches, churches, schools and businesses to create a network where positive change can be brought to Durbanville. It is amazing to see how willing and open people are to get involved. Our renovations are ongoing and we thank you for partnering with us in our dream to restore that which the Lord has placed in the lives of those around us. Your support makes our work and the change that you witness in the lives of our people possible. We look forward to what lies ahead in 2021. Cape Town After School Programme (ASP) kicks-off for the new academic year Our After School Program (or ASP) has restarted for the 2021 school year. Here we support parents by providing a safe place where their children can be given a balanced meal, educational support, and fun activities to keep them occupied away from the busy inner city. Our goal is to not only look after these children, but also instill in them the love of God and teach them biblical values, while also supporting them in any way they need whether it be emotional, spiritual or educational. Building relationship with residents through community dinner Our Durbanville Centre of Hope, in partnership with local churches and small businesses, has started a community dinner initiative where individuals from all walks of life can sit around the same table to share a ...

As the winter season catches up with South Africans under this exhausting lockdown, the women at MES Johannesburg’s Impilo Hospice have committed to keeping themselves warm by knitting and crocheting, thereby taking advantage of talents they have not used in a long time. The large-scale project follows a large donation of wool to the organisation. The donation was made in kind after MES asked its friends and supporters for items to help those living in the shelters to keep busy whilst under lockdown. The knitting benefits the ladies at the shelter because they are knitting items for themselves, especially for the coming winter.  The ladies also knitted a number of items for two pregnant members of the knitting party. So successful was the project that the knitting group soon finished the large supply of donated wool, leaving it to the MES team to buy more material to keep their hands and minds busy. MES will sell these home-made hats, scarves, gloves, bags and jerseys to earn an income as soon as the lockdown regulations are lifted, with the proceeds going to the participating ladies at Impilo Hospice. MES Johannesburg has shared its insights with other branches as part of its challenge to them, and other shelters, to create similar initiatives that both motivate and financially support the participants, providing a way of reinstating their confidence and dignity.