The Story of Zwelisha Community

Zwelisha is one of the poorest of the poor communities in South Africa. Many children do not have identification papers meaning that they are unable to finish school, and in many cases are turned away from school by their teachers. Additionally, there is a lack of access to food and clean water. Thankfully, local volunteer Care Workers recognised the extreme vulnerability of many children in their community and came together to form the Zwelisha Community Based Organisation (CBO). 

75 Children currently supported

6 Care Workers coordinated by Nikiwe       

Basic Services Started in 2013

70 KM from the HAZYVIEW Local Office

In 2013, Hands at Work partnered with the Zwelisha CBO and began to provide the three essential services of a hot, nutritious meal and support with their education and basic health care for 75 of the most vulnerable children. 

For a number of years, the was no shelter at the Care Point apart from a unique dome-shaped cooking shelter. Often, children had to go inside the smoke-filled dome where the food was cooked to get away from the harsh weather conditions. In 2019, the shelter blew away. Now a new Life Centre building has been constructed and the existing meeting shelter reinforced, in addition to new toilets. This has enhanced the overall health, safety and hygiene of the children. 

In 2019, the Care Workers and the children, with support from an international team, installed a colourful tyre seating area for the children to play and sit on. The Care Workers took ownership of the project, helping to dig the holes, while the children painted the tyres with vibrant colours, speaking to the new life being found in Zwelisha.

The local Hands at Work team in Hazyview have been and continue to invest in the leadership of the Zwelisha CBO by having Nikiwe, the coordinator, join meetings with other CBO coordinators from across South Africa. The purpose of having Nikiwe join these meetings is that she can be inspired and increase her capacity to lead the Care Workers in effectively and holistically caring for the most vulnerable children in her community. 

Meet Shani

Despite the many challenges in her life, Shani* is a hopeful seven-year-old girl. She lives with her sister and their mother who is from Mozambique and has additional needs that affect her speech and ability to work. Furthermore, Shani’s mother doesn’t have South African documentation, meaning she can’t access government assistance. She does odd jobs in the community, like ploughing, but often gets exploited by people who do not pay her fairly or even at all. The Care Point is a blessing for them. The children receive food, clothes, soap and medical care there. Care Worker Julia treats them like family and supports them in every way. Shani enjoys playing with her friends at the Care Point. She does not let the teasing of other children in the community affect her, because she knows that she and her family are loved and respected at the Care Point.

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 Zwelisha. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.

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