Mama Nondo Honored!

A beautiful article about the work of Nondumiso Langa, written by reporter Tshepiso Mametela, appeared in the South African newspaper The Herald on January 11. Mama Nondo has been involved with the work of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre for 25 years, currently as a social work manager. She also recently celebrated her 60th birthday. A group of former participants of the center, children/teenagers before 2010, found this reason enough to honor and praise her role. This led to a beautiful article, readable below in English.

Heroine honored for her role in improving the Kwazakhele community
Beneficiaries laud Nondumiso Langa for 25 years of selfless service

After uplifting Gqeberha communities for 25 years, a heroic Kwazakhele woman’s selfless dedication to shaping the lives of those from disadvantaged backgrounds has drawn high praise.

Nondumiso Langa, who turned 60 on January 1, became a volunteer at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre nonprofit organisation (NPO) in the heart of the bustling township, and has witnessed the success of thousands of beneficiaries, many of whom she mentored.
Langa’s efforts were recognised in December when the NPO presented her with a volunteer service award, just before previous beneficiaries threw her a surprise birthday party on New Year’s Day.

Vuyisile Nkomombini, 37, who attended a life skills programme at Ubomi Obutsha in 2003, said Langa’s influence had changed the trajectory of his path.

In 2006, when the then grade 11 pupil became an orphan, Langa took him under her wing.
‘She recruited me as one of the youth leaders of the life skills programme I attended, later taking on management, executive and board roles [at the NPO],’ Nkomombini said,

‘She pushed me to study further, and that’s when I enrolled in a bachelor of social work course at Nelson Mandela University in 2007, graduating with honours in 2010.’
Now employed as a health and wellness assistant director at the co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) department in Bhisho, Nkomombini doffed his hat to Langa for her guidance.
‘She became a mother to me, playing a pivotal role in my life … and she continues to do exceptional work in the community.’

Ubomi Obutsha – meaning ‘new life’ in isiXhosa – was started in 1998 by American missionaries Don and Judy Bixler as an outreach project. The centre was established as a stand-alone NPO in 2015. It is run by a management team, implementation staff and several volunteers.
More than 300 children a month participate in life skills and education support activities. About 50 ‘high-risk’ families are included in a family-focused support and development programme.

Larry Gandura, 30, also made inroads in his journey after arriving at the centre in 2013. Now a barista of tow years at a corporate company in Newton Park. Gandura applauded Langa for her selflessness. ‘I almost gave up school because I didn’t have a uniform and stationery.
“But sis’ Nondo [Langa] took me in as her child and provided for my education, uniform and stationery. That on its own changed my life” Gandura said.

Thobela Matinise, 33, who arrived at Ubomi Obutsha as a fresh-faced 14-year-old in 2005, echoed similar sentiments. The supervisor at TotalEnergies Deal Party asl described her as a heroine. “I had family issues and had to fend for myself for some time. Her house was my home. She can make even a stranger feel welcome.”

Community worker and fellow volunteer Busisiwe Ntlabathi, 50, said Langa deserved the praise. ‘She is a straight-talking hard worker who loves people, especially children.’ Ntlabathi said.

Ubomi Obutsha director Mark Lawler said: ‘She has been the key contact point within the community, with the project itself built around collaboration between people and outside the community.
Her commitment has made an incredible difference to more youngsters and family units than I can count.’

A soft-spoken Langa said witnessing the social decay in Kwazakhele had spurred her passion for community service. ‘My motivation came from seeing [widespread ] school dropouts, teenage pregnancies and substance abuse by the youth. I then thought to myself: ‘What can I do to save these children?
I knew [then] if I could positively impact the youth, I could transform an entire community. That is when my life’s work began.’

December Festivities at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre

At the Ubomi Obutsha Centre, the month of December was, of course, filled with many festivities around Christmas. Celebrations for the families of the Family Focus Program and the children of the other programs at the center. Three days of celebrations brought a lot of happy faces! All 207 children received a gift: a full box of clothing, toys, and care products such as soap and toothpaste. SUON was able to sponsor some of these boxes thanks to your contributions.

The staff at the center are very proud of the progress they have seen in all participants. However, they feel even more pride when participants describe this growth themselves. It’s extra special when they talk about it themselves.

The staff and volunteers at the center were not forgotten either. They were treated to a delicious lunch by their partner organizations! Rightly so that they were put in the spotlight!

Christmas did not stop for the center afterwards! Customers and employees of the South African shopping center, Moffett on Main, shopped and bought gifts for the children of the center. That means an extra surprise for all children after the Christmas holidays!

Results of the Family Focus Program

The Ubomi Obutsha Centre regularly shares how many children and families they reach with their programs. But in addition to the numbers achieved, the quality of the activities is just as important. This shows whether the quality of life is actually increasing for the participating families.

Therefore, at the beginning of the year, all families of the Family Focus Program were scored on various categories. These are: Kindness, Openness & honesty, Self-motivation, Cleanliness of the house, Reckless living, and Income. In November, families were scored again. Results show that all families participating in the program are showing improvement. Especially families in the second phase of the program experience a lot of change. This makes sense, as this phase is most about growth and regaining control of their lives. In the first phase, many families still have to get used to the openness with which they have to discuss difficult issues, and in the third phase, they consolidate the changes that were initiated in the second phase. Nevertheless, growth is also visible in these phases.

The most growth is visible in all phases in the areas of Self-motivation (18% growth), reckless living (16% growth), and Openness & honesty (15% growth). Fantastic results that also show that the growth is not one-time, but can continue over the years!

In 2024, 30 new families will start the first phase of the program. The other families move on to the next phase and the families who have completed the last (third) phase continue to receive guidance around setting up their own businesses. In addition, they can hopefully become ambassadors for the program!

A Sad Message

Yesterday we received the message from the Ubomi Obutsha Centre that Mama Sekiwe passed away in the hospital on Friday evening. She had a stroke last weekend, after which she was admitted to the hospital and did not recover.

Sekiwe began her journey at Ubomi Obutsha by receiving food packages for her family. She then joined the group of people who originally set up the food garden. The center saw her potential and she was given a few basic tasks at the center. There she helped set up the Educare program. She has been the head teacher of Educare for many years now. In addition, she led one of the ‘life skills’ groups for the past 3 years and provided parenting support. She was loved as a mother by all these children.

As sad as the situation is, it was wonderful to know her as an indispensable force of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. We thank her for her enormous commitment to all the children at the center. We wish her family and all the staff at the center a lot of strength in processing their great loss.

Visit to Lesotho

Earlier this month, three community workers from the Ubomi Obutsha Centre joined an outreach team to remote villages in Lesotho. Mark, the director of the center, says: “Unless you have a conscious reason to go outside, the South African black townships from the apartheid era were built to keep their residents isolated from the rest of the world, and that is still reasonably effective. This is a major reason why so many people there remain poor and why it is so difficult to change the situation. That’s why I wanted to give some of our staff the chance to really get out of the township. Exhausted but ‘full’ despite the fact that they drained themselves all week, we look forward to all the stories about the adventure and to see how Mabhele, Noma & Zameka bring back the things they have learned in the coming weeks through the work of the Centre. Those of you who have had the privilege to travel (really travel … far away … to a different cultural space) will know the value this adds to life experience.”

The trip was funded by a number of specific donors, but the center itself also contributed by making the recently donated new pickup of the Centre available for the trip. As well as by sending a few things from the center to help the people in the mountain villages. Mark: “Thanks to everyone who made this possible in one way or another! Besides the chance we got to support other projects, it is important to me that our volunteer staff build new knowledge and relationships that can help the Ubomi Obutsha Centre move forward in the coming years. We look forward to more of these kinds of adventures where we can learn and give back!”

Visitors at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre

Over the past few weeks, there have been various visitors at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. Children from a local primary school visited the center to help make food packages and to play with the children at the center. A beautiful and valuable exchange!

The center was also visited by employees from a local company. The employees worked for the center for a day in the vegetable garden, cleaned up the pantry, and participated in the programs for the children. This also produced a wonderful result! In this way, the center knows how to bind important partners to itself.

Do you like a beer and feel like a festival? Then come to the Lionsclub beer festival in Renkum on Saturday, May 21. Half of the proceeds will benefit SUON!

Special Beer Festival Oosterbeek  – Lions Club Renkum is organizing a Special Beer Festival for a good cause in 2022. 

Tasting Special Beers in Oosterbeek. Enjoy with friends, neighbors, family or household. Tickets are available here: Tickets

Date: May 21
Time: 16:00 – 20:00
Location: Lebret Oosterbeek

In a cozy atmosphere, four small brewers from the area present their local Special Beers. With music and small snacks, a relaxed atmosphere is created in which the taste of real beer can penetrate well. The brewers involved in the Festival offer their beer at cost price and thus contribute to the good cause together with you. 

Lions Club Renkum chooses to support play activities for the youth. In Oosterbeek by contributing to the volunteer playground Talud, in South Africa by financing play activities of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre in Port Elizabeth.
Families with children are certainly very welcome. And of course, non-alcoholic drinks have also been thought of.
You donate with us to the good cause
Entrance 10 euros in presale (at the door 12.50 euros).
Limited number of places available..

On stage: Party band Thunk! 

On May 21, 2022, you are welcome from 4 to 8 pm in Lebret (Lebretweg 51 Oosterbeek).