Feb 2009 - New Skills-Training Centre, Thusong, South Africa

People living in poverty close to Johannesburg, South Africa, will soon have better chances of employment. OA is helping fund the first year of Thusong (it means 'Helping Hand'), a skills and training initiative of the Baptist Convention of South Africa. In the picture, the rich red soil of Thusong, excellent for vegetables, is being prepared by Mr Chester Shikwambane, the centre manager.

Courses in sewing, dressmaking, computer literacy, baking, and market gardening, as well as basic literacy and numeracy, will be on offer to job-starved men and women, some living in squatter camps and shanty towns, not far from notorious Soweto.

Initially, enrolments for the biannual, five-month courses will be made on the recommendation of BCSA churches. Local churches will be invited to sponsor students from their congregations to sign up for the affordable tuition and there will be places for about 160 pupils each year.

But demand for the courses is expected to be high because there is nothing else like it within reasonable reach.

BCSA, a partner of BMS World Mission, was formed in 1980, and ministers primarily to the indigenous black community, with churches throughout the country. "We are confident that Thusong will have a big impact," writes Rev Paul Msiza, general secretary of BCSA. "This pioneering work here of skills-training now has a strong foundation."

"BMS World Mission worker, Kevin Jones, is helping BCSA set up the project. Kevin writes that, "The directors have brought new insights, skills, experience and efficiency to Thusong. The project has been designed to be relevant to a changing world." It is anticipated that BMS short-term volunteers will also help at Thusong.

"The key to success of a project like this is good management," cautions Russell Ashley-Smith, chairman of OA. "But the BMS/OA Development Committee is confident that BCSA, with Kevin's support, has an excellent project at Thusong. OA is delighted to be able to help fund its first year, sending nearly £8000." This is the first time OA has supported development work in South Africa.

The Thusong farm came into the Church's ownership when white farmers left the area during the apartheid era. The 50 acres of land is described as "having great potential for market gardening and small scale farming".

Some years ago BCSA started skills-training on the site but various problems led to the project being abandoned after a few years. Learning from previous mistakes, a new board of directors has now been appointed, including one member who is CEO of an established professional training institute and who will be responsible, with the course tutors, for the curriculum of each course. Thusong is being registered with the SA Government as an independent 'not-for-profit' organisation and courses are being designed to receive full accreditation and therefore in the future qualify for official funding.

The CEO of Thusong is Rev Sandi Qangule, minister of a Johannesburg BCSA church, who has considerable experience overseeing community projects in townships. Other pastors of local churches have volunteered to give spiritual oversight, helping keep the project community focused.

It is expected that during the first year of operation of Thusong, changes will be made to the syllabuses in the light of experience and possibly new courses will be started.