Dr Daniël de Wet from Witness Ministry (centre) watching a brick laying and plastering trainee, with the programme manager Ms Mdunyelwa (in red top) and the trainer Mr Khoza (far left).
Mfesane is a Non-Profit Company (NPC) that is a leading Christian development agency offering community-based health care, support services as well as skills training and education, empowering communities through sustainable partnerships. They reach out to communities in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and the West Coast.
On Wednesday 8 February dr Daniël de Wet from Witness Ministry paid a visit to Mfesane in Khayelitsha, Cape Town where he had a meeting with Ms Khayakazi Mdunyelwa, the programme manager and some of her other staff members. Mfesane is one of a number of ministries Witness Ministry is supporting and networking with.
He visited some of the skills training sectors and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. Afterwards some witness stories from people that were trained at this centre were shared with him.
Bricklaying and plastering skills training
Mr Stembele Khoza, a trainer of bricklaying, plastering, and welding skills, started working at Mfesane nine years ago as a trainee and got an opportunity to be hired as a skills development trainer. He also took part in building the centre with the trainees that were in the field at that time.
Mr Khoza came to Mfesane as an unskilled person knowing nothing about construction work, and completed his training in bricklaying and plastering as well as in business skills.
The skills that he gained by coming to Mfesane helped him to put food on the table and to be able to take care of himself and his family. The knowledge he gained there encouraged him to start his sub-construction company and he employed people from the community and Mfesane’s trainees. He also helped rebuilding Mfesane’s Khayelitsha training centre like welding the windows and correcting unfinished jobs.
Although life was not easy at the time due to the pandemic and economic breakdowns, his skills gave him hope. He says, “through all the problems I experienced my skills provide me with opportunities to do jobs such as building and plastering domestic homes.” He also helps other people to support their families by hiring them when he gets a better building project.
Another story is this one about Mr Tsongo who came all the way from the Eastern Cape to do bricklaying and plastering training because he found it very affordable. He was retrenched from his work, and registered for the skills training which took him six weeks to finish.
After the training, he went back to the Eastern Cape to earn a living as he was unemployed. He claimed that his dignity was restored after this skills training he got from Mfesane. Families who need assistance in building their homes are hiring him now because of his good work. On top of that can he now provide for his family!
He continually thanks Mfesane and his trainers for helping him get equipped with knowledge that opens doors for employment. It changed his life. He improved his life with this financial breakthrough.
Contact Ms Khayakazi Mdunyelwa at khayakazi@mfesane.org.za for more information.
Mr Khoza (right) with a trainee