MES JOHANNESBURG
Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty and crime. This is where the vision of MES was born in 1986. The number of homeless people continues to be on the rise, leading people to aggressive begging, eating from rubbish bins and committing crime to at least have something to eat. Children in this community are hindered from reaching their full potential due to poverty, abuse, unemployed caregivers, nutritional deficiencies and inadequate learning opportunities.
Our response has been to provide professional services to this community through a holistic approach of intake, intervention and exit.
All programmes are structured to successfully help each client one-step at a time. MES Johannesburg covers all services to ensure each client will have an exit opportunity with a successful outcome of becoming a sustainable citizen.
MES Johannesburg believes in a space where hope is possible, where values and norms are nurtured, where the disempowered are empowered, where human potential is developed and where dignity is restored. MES Johannesburg provides services regardless of age, religion or sexual orientation.
The services rendered to our client groups include a holistic approach of prevention, intake and intervention leading to a sustainable exit for each individual. Our geographical areas of service include Hillbrow and the Johannesburg inner-city, Fleurhof in the West of Johannesburg, and Soweto in the South of Johannesburg, infamously known as the township Nelson Mandela grew up in.
PRE-SCHOOLERS
Focused Services
- MES JHB provides three high-quality Early Childhood Development Centres (Roly-Poly, Dinaledi and Kids Academy). The number of children per centre ranges between 110-130. MES pre-schools offer affordable solutions for early childhood development where appropriate education, nutrition and stimulation is offered to ensure that key development milestones are reached. These ECDs provide a safe & stimulating environment to children aged between six months and six years.
Social Support Services
- Social workers host quarterly workshops with parents, teachers and children.
- Health workers offer health education to parents, teachers and children concerning matters such as immunisation and children diseases.
- There are weekly Bible studies for the teachers, and Bible clubs for the children.
LEARNERS
Focused Services
- MES Johannesburg offers After school programme and Youth Clubs, that provides learners with educational and recreational support.
- A high school youth programme is offered with a homework centre providing academic support and a safe space for youth to spend their afternoons and be able to do their homework. They have access to computers for school projects and they participate in a variety of spiritual, life skills, recreational and academic activities. They also received a balanced, nutritious meal and mentorship.
- The youth in the inner-city have access to the dance school, with professional dance coaches and they partake in dance competitions and an annual musical dance production. The name of the project is called Dance4aPurpose.
- We also have a variety of camps and events for youth which include the holiday programme, 10 Days of Hope outreach and camps for high school learners and grade 7 learners, where they are prepared for high school and assisted to understand their identity.
Social Support Services
- Social workers host assessment workshops for the After School Programme parents. Using the new M&E tool; Poverty Stoplight Social workers conduct needs assessments for to determine effective distribution of food parcels. They also host workshops with the learners about bullying or abuse.
- Health workers assist with nutrition advice, immunisation, children’s diseases, growth profile (weight/height/muscle mass), eyesight, and hearing.
- Pastors offer Bible clubs and Bible study sessions.
YOUTH
Focused Services
- Advice and referral– to provide access to resources for advice and referral, assisting community members in job preparation, career guidance and job searching.
- Social programmes– to contribute to a reduction in poverty by building the capacity of poor families, youth and communities by providing access to supportive social services and material support.
- Skills development (technical, life skills and business skills)-to implement skills development and job placement programme that will contribute to the empowerment of unskilled or unemployed youth towards independent living and a positive contribution within their communities and the mainstream economy.
- Social workers and Community Engagement Officers conduct needs assessments clients and refer them to the training centre. They conduct workshops on parenting skills, gender-based violence, mental health, and life skills.
- Health workers conduct workshops on personal wellbeing and the importance of taking chronic medication.
- Daily restoration programmes with the Pastors.
ADULTS
Focused Services
- Shelter and canteen– not only provides homeless people with a accommodation, but they also receive food and access to all MES services, which includes the Assessment Centre, professional health services, social work services, spiritual enrichment, social relief and access to training.
- All clients are assessed before being housed in the shelters and this helps in identifying what kind of help the client needs, are they suitable to stay in the shelter, will they need to be referred to other organisations.
- Daily Bible studies to the canteen clients and referrals to the Assessment Centre for Social work intervention.
- God Restores Our World (GROW), is a job-and-life rehabilitation programme that creates shift opportunities where cash is earned for work done whilst being part of a coaching and developmental programme. It provides the homeless and unemployed community an alternative to aggressive begging and petty crime
THE MES JOHANNESBURG TEAM
Nicodemus Setshedi, Branch Manager
