ASSISTING THE CHURCH ADDRESS UNEMPLOYMENT

HI <<First Name>>
Welcome to our latest update with plenty of progress to share and challenges to report.

LWANDLE, ASANDA VILLAGE AND NOMZAMO

Ron Begbie writes: On Tuesday Oscar Siwali and I were with three pastors from these areas adjacent to Somerset West. They are some of the church leaders Oscar  has been training in conflict resolution. I explained our methodology of working with churches addressing unemployment. They agreed that the Holy Spirit was confirming that they should address this issue and are arranging to host a workshop where we will give guidance and facilitate a plan of action. The probable unemployment rate in their churches is 80%.

They are battling to find land on which to replace their shack churches with buildings. A potential solution is to build business incubators for operation during the week and to use the same facilities for services on weekends. 

NEW HOME IN CHRIST KHAYELITSHA

I mentioned this church last month and the problems they are having with crime due to unemployment, hunger and drug addiction. I felt God saying I should fast and pray about my interaction with this church.
I was thus grateful when I was spared when a young man in Solomon Tshuku Avenue stepped out into the road and pointed a gun at me through the windscreen. I just drove around him but expected the bullet to come through the rear of the car. It did not and I made my way to a successful meeting.
It reminded me of the words of Siyabulela Nana two years ago that the youth are becoming increasingly disillusioned and angry. The time to engage is now.

Last Friday a small group of the church leaders accompanied me to two sites where Training, Worker Readiness programs and Business Incubation are offered. They are Learn to Earn (Khayelitsha) and The Business Activator (Philipi). Much of our task is to make the teams we are building aware of where to direct those whom they are trying to help with employment. 


Above is The Business Activator Training Centre
Below are  the small business units  are that available for start ups

Another key strategy is to get the leaders into work so that they are able to have the resources and confidence to help others onto the path of employment.
On Monday we were able to get one of the leaders, Lerato, started on the Mr Price Foundation training for retail work. It is a start  and  Lerato is  excited.


The leadership team from New Home in Christ

ST ALBANS EAST LONDON

I visited East London for a week and agreed with the Parish Council at St Albans that Xola Khewu would lead the team establishing the work in the Parish. She is a graduate of UWC with an Honours in Development Studies. We are planning an open workshop for surrounding churches for the 23^rd June.

This planning will include Siyabulela Nana and Kaya Nkumbesi and it was great that we could all meet up in East London, Kaya having travelled up from Port Elizabeth where he is running the marketing and some administration for Izenzo.

Kaya Nkumbesi and Siyabulela Nana

PRAYER

• When we work, we work. When we pray we see God at work.

THANKS

• For the new teams forming at each church.
• For receptiveness and enthusiasm, particularly at the churches with most need.
• We are getting requests from many areas which spurs us on.

PETITION

• Please pray for Kaya Nkumbesi and Monwabisi Dyantjie whose extended families both face challenging situations.
• We need to scale the work soon with manuals and teaching videos for church leaders. This requires finance.
• Please pray that I will keep focus as I need to balance developing the work with individual churches while simultaneously building the organisational structures and networks.

• Please pray that I will be able to raise the funds to put the structures of the organisation in place.
   

   

SUPPORT

For a more comprehensive view of what Izenzo does see http://izenzo.org.za/

Please can you send the names and email addresses of 2 to 3 others who may be interested in praying for, partnering or supporting the work.

BANK DETAILS
Bank: Standard Bank of SA limited
Account name: SADRA
Account type: Business Current Account
Account number: 072 333642
Branch code: 033012
Branch: Helderberg Reference: IZ/Donor Name