HUMANSDORP – Following the official launch of the Rainbow Skills Centre lunchroom on 1 October, the Victory4All Foundation has successfully hosted its first community gathering, welcoming 25 senior citizens and three representatives from the Nation Builders Prophetic Apostolic Movement (NBPAM) to experience the new facility.
The event, which took place recently, marked a significant milestone for the programme that aims to provide skills training for young adults with special needs while serving the broader community.
Pastor Ashwell Goliath, founder of NBPAM, a service centre for the senior citizens in Humansdorp, expressed his gratitude for the initiative.
He said that his organisation has come a long way with Victory4All and hosted its first Christmas party at the Victory Hall in 2022.
Goliath described the event on 1 October as transformative for the senior participants.
“The experience felt as though I had stepped into another world. We felt relaxed and special. We felt welcomed and enjoyed the smell of fresh coffee. We were also served with dignity and respect,” said Goliath.
He added that they also played games where the seniors won great prizes, and the senior choir entertained everyone with a song.
Highlighting the broader need for such programmes, Goliath said that the seniors face many challenges in the community.
“The seniors take care of their children and grandchildren and are often so left behind that they don’t even have money to treat themselves,” said Goliath.
Beauty Lusu, programme head at the Rainbow Skills Centre, described the event as a success.
She said that they provided transport to collect the senior visitors on time.
When they arrived, host Hettie Groenewald welcomed them with encouraging words.
They enjoyed coffee and a wonderful meal prepared and served by the Rainbow Skills Centre students.
Lusu said that the experience was positive for both the students and visitors.
“At first, the students seemed to be nervous during the preparation, but when the senior citizens arrived it was joy unspeakable. The students greeted and hugged them, offering chairs to sit on and asked how they were doing. There was a sense of excitement, friendliness and laughter that came naturally from the students,” said Lusu.
“The experience left the students feeling more confident. After the event, the students mentioned that having special needs would not stand in their way, and they look forward to serving their communities.”
Looking ahead, Lusu confirmed plans for continued engagement.
She said that despite their tight schedule, as the end of the year approaches quickly, they will host their next event in late October or early November.
“The Rainbow Skills Centre would like to thank all the senior citizens and their leaders who visited us. We are blessed. The song that the senior citizens sang will remain in our hearts,” said Lusu.
