MARANATHA Streetworkers Trust hase just marked 21 years as a non-profit providing care for those in need, from Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape Province at large.
The current management, Dr Trudi Basson and Mr Albie Basson, founded the NPO in 2002 and continue to lead the projects, helping transform the lives of children and adults alike within our metro.
The occasion was marked at the organisation’s premises in Southdene, where they held their Annual General Meeting, which included the inauguration of a brand new Hall, a multi-functional indoor facility recently finished thanks to the substantial support of The Ezethu Foundation, along with the contribution of Ironman for the Kidz, Naidoo, Buco, Liston’s Plumbers and Liston’s Electrical. This hall promises to make a huge difference to activities which can be provided all year round, as well as a venue to rent to the public.
The organisation itself looks to restore dignity to all those they support. They have provided a home for many hundreds of adults without funds for accommodation. Often the Adult Care project is a stepping stone for an individual in need, with up to 40 adults at a time residing on their premises. The aim of the organisation is to build up broken people to be able to function independently again, and they are referred to as resident volunteers, providing services in exchange for their care, inclusive of all meals and essential needs.
The job creation projects in operation include the Maranatha Piggery, Maranatha Poultry and Maranatha Garden Nursery – all with produce that can be sold to the public. The projects can also help enlighten and train unemployed people.
Maranatha Streetworkers Trust also serves as the umbrella organisation, which incorporates its flagship project, Maranatha-Siyakatala Child & Youth Care Centre for 34 children and young people in need of care and protection. Maranatha-Siyakatala provides full-time residential care for boys and girls from the ages of four to 21, as well as extending support to post-21, if required.
Maranatha-Siyakatala focuses on the key service delivery areas of therapeutic, developmental, recreation, and caring, as per the Children’s Act 2005, and children are exposed to a wide range of activities, including cricket lessons, spiritual dancing, modern dancing, swimming lessons and church and devotional programmes, presented daily. The children attend over 10 different educational establishments, and the child and youth care centre has maintained a 100 percent matric pass rate of diploma level or higher over the past 8 years, when it comes to learners completing Grade 12.
Young people have also been assisted to progress into college or university-level studies, vocational training opportunities and learnerships, as well as work opportunities where viable, whilst the team assist in providing core life skills and support in general.
As part of the 21 year celebrations, Maranatha also welcomed successful care-leavers of Maranatha-Siyakatala in paying tribute to the Basson’s.
Programme manager, Harrison Nash said these outcomes are testament to the unwavering commitment, dedication and vision of the founders and leaders of the organisation.
“The young people who came to the celebration have all had graduation events in different fields – including Hospitality & Catering, Business Management, Film & Television Production and Maintenance in Sustainable Building”.
“I know that Dr Trudi and Albie are always humble, and their ministry work has always been a calling, but it is amazing to see first-hand the phenomenal difference made in countless lives, and to see the gratitude in young people like this who are proud to have been part of Maranatha,” said Nash.
Maranatha are also thankful to partners in higher education, such as PE College, PMI, The Media Workshop, Masifunde and Newton College for their support.
Whilst the organisation does not receive any government funding for adults, the youth centre is registered and assisted by the Department of Social Development, who requested the management team in 2014 to reach out to the rural areas where more services were needed. Arising from that, Maranatha took on the challenge and established Maranatha Nieu-Bethesda, now also an NPO in its own right, assisting with general upliftment and family preservation within the Piernaarsig Township located in the Karoo. The organisation looks at recreational and developmental opportunities to support the youth in this impoverished community.
Maranatha welcomes donations in cash or in kind, especially items that can assist with personal care and household needs, food products for meal preparation, upgrades to the accommodation facilities, and their current wish list is topped by the hope of getting a new micro-bus kombi for the children, as their vehicles are over 10 years old. They can be contacted at info@maranathayouthcentre.co.za or 041 586 0017 – their Maranatha Siyakatala Youth Centre page is also active on Facebook.
-ISSUED BY MARANATHA
SIYAKATALA YOUTH CENTRE
