Who We Are
Hands at Work in Africa (UK) has three primary purposes in order to help care for 100,000 orphans and vulnerable children by 2010:
• education and awareness - through working in the UK with churches, schools and organisations
• fund raising - operating throughout Europe to support projects in Africa
• providing experiences and exchange of skills and expertise in Africa for UK volunteers and supporters
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Recent News
Can we really make a difference?(SA)
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 12:45PM
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A number of years ago, Locks Heath Free Church was challenged to respond to the world-devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. For years we had financially supported organisations such as BMS (Baptist Missionary Society) who care for those in need, and due to the far-reaching effects of HIV/AIDS, were undoubtedly helping thousands suffering from this deadly disease. However the call of God was clear – we needed to do more - to care, to love, to take action.
Our response was to partner with Hands at Work in Africa, and in turn we were introduced to a very poor community in South Africa called Belfast. When the first team visited in February 2008, we met over 30 local ‘grannies’ who despite their own clear poverty, were daily visiting and caring for the orphan, widowed and poor in Belfast. For the past five years these ladies have chosen to respond to the call of God and were caring for those living under the shadow of the HIV/AIDS virus and its dispassionate theft of life.
We now had the opportunity to partner with these amazing ladies; to encourage them, work along side them and help enable them to make a bigger difference in Belfast.
During our first visit we sought to learn, to encourage, to give – we visited many in the community and helped fence a compound for the ladies to call their home. This compound was a place for them to meet, to grow crops for the poor and hopefully one day to accommodate a number of buildings to provide crèche facilities for those with nothing, a feeding programme base camp and a safe place for child headed households to find practical love. Another planned element of the compound was to drill a bore-hole to provide a vital element of survival – clean water.
During our visit in February 2009, we were heartbroken to see that the compound had reverted to a thoroughfare for cattle and people because local herdsmen had torn down the fence.
However the ladies were still there, still serving, still loving those with nothing. As we talked and listened we discovered the ladies were also very upset about the fence - they had spoken to local police, the local chief and called for a community meeting so the chief could tell the community to show respect. They were serious about caring for the poor!
We assured the ladies that we were not planning on walking away (as they had feared). We told them our commitment was to them and not the fence - the fence could easily be restored. We told them that they were the hands and feet, the eyes and ears of God in Belfast. They cheered and clapped in response to the fence being restored – a humbling experience for they were the ones who deserved the applause. This project is not about a fence, a compound or a building, but a heart response to God's call to care for the poor.
By the middle of March the fence was restored and now crops grow; tended by grannies and orphans, growing food to sustain life. We’ve also funded a feeding programme, targeting the 50 most vulnerable children in Belfast – making a real difference.
The bore-hole on the other hand is proving more difficult. Having gained permission to drill a bore-hole, having secured funding (from generous giving by people at LHFC and restored the fencing, drilling commenced in May 2009 – but heartbreakingly no water was found! We are still discussing alternative solutions, however in the meantime the ladies collect the water, ensure crops grow, feed the poor and bring people hope.
What next? We keep supporting, praying, encouraging, visiting, serving and giving to make a difference in this community. In October 2009, another team from LHFC fly out to do precisely that – telling these amazing ladies that they are making a difference, that they are not crazy to care for the poor, they are not forgotten, they matter to God and to us.
Make a difference; pray for the ladies in Belfast – Doris (team leader), Ruth, Elisa, Dinah, Tryphina, Linneth, Betty, Renail, Sarah, Anna, Nancy, Violet and Renee – to name just some of them!
Mark Madavan
Senior Minister, Locks Heath Free Church, Fareham, UK
"No longer will the poor be nameless" Psalm 9v17
Tuesday 04Nov
UK College Impacting Community Schools(ZAM)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 12:51PM
Halesowen College Child Care Students’ Project for Community Schools in Zambia
Hands UK Chairman, Nick Lawrence, and his wife, Heather, who has been training community school teachers in Zambia for the last 4 years, recently attended a presentation evening at Halesowen College. During the academic year 2007-08, students in the Child Care & Education department created a wide range of educational resources to be sent to the community schools we support in Zambia and also put on several fundraising events. The picture shows Nick & Heather receiving a cheque for GBP 1,305.78 from Diane McCathie, Student Support Director at the College.
We are sincerely grateful to all the students for their hard work and, in particular, to Gill Pendry for co-ordinating the project. The College will be undertaking another project during the 2008-09 academic year as we continue to build on this excellent partnership.
Hands at Work | Post a Comment | Share Article in Zambia, (UK), Fundraising
Tuesday 20May
Head Shave forHands
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 07:57AM
A long-time Hands at Work supporter shaves his head in support of a Hands at Work project. See the video:
Hands at Work | Post a Comment | Share Article in South Africa, video post, (UK)
Thursday 10Apr
OnTour
Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 03:26PM
George Snyman, founder of Hands at Work in Africa, is touring North America and the UK over the next month and a half. If you are interested in a more detailed itinerary with all the locations that George will be speaking at please email: lynn@handsatwork.org.
Hands at Work | 1 Comment | Share Article in Hands at Work in Africa, George Snyman, (UK), (CAN), (USA)
Thursday 07Feb
UK summer newsletter2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 09:09AM Christmas in May in Swaziland • Spend two weeks in Africa • UK represented at African Leaders and International Conferences 2008 • British schools help with GoLD future in South Africa • From Halesowen to Africa - college students link with Zambia schools
• Regular monthly giving • Financial Statement for first 17 months as a registered charity • Your Will, Their future - a legacy from you will be such a welcome gift to ensure a future of hope and fulfilment for those affected • Schools Service - From infant classes to agricultural students, talks are tailored suitably • Hairless for Hands! GBP1395 raised! Forthcoming fundraising events: throw yourself off St Peter’s Church for Hands at Work Abseiling with local scouts - “hands...at work... in Africa” photo exhibition - “An evening of Words and Music” - performed by singers of the much acclaimed Midlands Chorale and The Keele Poets - whose poetry reaches parts of your soul no-one else ever has • Christmas is coming...
Give someone something useful this Christmas. Now you can make a difference to the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS - and give it as a present to someone special! • Progress in Nigeria - Local managers report in Nigeria on our Lagos Home Based Care (HBC) Programme, and helping commercial sex workers tackle the daily problems of HIV/AIDS at Isolo. We include some stories of children given new hope by volunteers on our Community Based Organisation (CBO) Hands at Work | Post a Comment | Share Article in (UK)
Tuesday 14Aug
Hands at Work in UKVisit
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 05:15PM
Veronica Caperon, marketing coordinator of the UK team, visited Masoyi, South Africa and the Rubatano project in Central Mozambique in July and returned inspired by the work and commitment she found amongst the Hands at Work volunteers. She will be giving a talk about her trip at St Peter’s Church, Edgmond on Tuesday 16th October at 7.45pm
“It must have been so depressing - how can we get on top of this terrible problem?” That has been a common response from people when I have explained that I’ve just spent 10 days visiting projects for an HIV/AIDS charity in southern Africa. They then seem taken aback when I reply that I have returned inspired and uplifted by the excellent things I have seen.
Hands at Work | 2 Comments | Share Article in Mozambique, (UK)
Monday 11Jun
NewOffices
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:44PM
In late March, the newly registered UK office of Hands at Work was officially launched at a ceremony before an international guest list including the Nigerian High Commissioner and the Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons held at Zion Christian Centre.
George Snyman attended and addressed the audience with the Hands at Work vision. In response he was blessed with a gift: a large sheet covered with the paint-dipped handmark of each attendee, symbolizing their commitment to the cause. The launch was an incredible success.
The next Hands at Work regional office registration is underway across the world in Australia. For information on that process or to lend advice, contact Shane Lepp at slepp@bigpond.net.au
Hands at Work | Post a Comment | Share Article in Expansion, (UK)