The Story of Sommerset Community
Volunteers from the local church in Sommerset have come together to care for their community. These Care Workers have identified the most vulnerable children and brought them into their care. Their dream is to bring hope to those living in extreme brokenness.
Sommerset is a tough community with many physical and social obstacles to overcome. For most children, the absence of a father is common, leaving a huge gap in the influence of healthy male role models, which in some cases can lead to abuse and a struggle with alcohol. Education is unavailable for those who do not have school uniforms, supplies and the proper identification documents. Other challenges in the community are a lack of employment opportunities, secure housing and clean water.
100 Children currently supported
14 Care Workers coordinated by martha
40 km from the HAZYVIEW Local Office
Basic Services Started in 2016
For many years Hands at Work was serving in the neighbouring community of Belfast. It was through this work that the community of Sommerset was identified and Care Workers rose up to care for the most vulnerable in this area. Daily life comes with many challenges, yet life is not hopeless. There are women from the community who care for the most vulnerable and poorest of the poor in a holistic way. At the Care Point, volunteer Care Workers from the Sommerset Community Based Organisation (CBO) give children the freedom to be children. Beginning in August 2015, they receive a hot nutritious meal daily, and support with their education and basic health care. Regularly, the Care Workers walk the dusty roads of Sommerset to visit children in their homes, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of a child’s challenges and home life. Doing these visits enables the Care Workers to build relationships of trust with the children and their families and increase the care that they are able to provide.
The Sommerset CBO has its own piece of land and there has been lots of exciting growth happening over the years. In August 2016, an international team made up of people from around the world visited Sommerset and helped put some old tyres into the ground for children to sit and play on. They spent a few days with the children and the Care Workers helping paint and decorate the tyres. In 2020, a new Life Centre building was completed, including a storage room with shelving, a communal area with benches for the children and the planting of 30 trees on the land, all overseen by Japhed, a community leader and board member of the Sommerset CBO.
Many of the children have built and continue to grow strong, loving relationships with the Care Workers, which means that the children have healthy and Godly role models to look up to. A local church in Sommerset has been involved with the Sommerset CBO, often coming to pray with the Care Workers and children.
Meet Lukas
Lukas* smiles every time he sees Agreement, his Care Worker, walking towards his house. He often runs to greet her and hugs her tightly, knowing she is there to visit him and his family. Lukas lives with his grandmother, his brother and his cousin in a small two-room house. The family is originally from Mozambique and do not have South African documents, which means they are unable to receive any government assistance. They have no income and depend on the food that they get at school and at the Care Point, which they have been attending since 2019. Agreement listens to the children’s stories, prays with them, and helps them with their needs. She is like a family member to them. Today, Lukas is 11 years old and is in grade 3. He loves going to school and learning new things. He dreams of becoming a doctor one day.
The local Hands at Work team in Hazyview currently supports six Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Sommerset. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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