The PEN is mightier than the sword
PEN currently employs just over 135 people and is home to many volunteers.
Participate, Envision, Navigate (PEN) is a charitable organisation based in Pretoria with a reach spanning over Gauteng.
The faith-based association, which catered to over 4 500 beneficiaries last year, recently turned 30 and aims to continue helping disadvantaged inner-city residents from various backgrounds.
“It’s all about helping others, empowering and encouraging people in need to get back on their feet,” said PEN spokesperson Cobie Lombard.
“PEN goes beyond simply giving handouts. Rather its centres are where the marginalised sectors of society can gain some form of independence.”
Beneficiaries are encouraged to meet PEN halfway and show the determination needed to survive outside of the community and become self-reliant.
PEN programmes allow beneficiaries to gain basic training, accreditation, access to sanitary services and employment opportunities among other benefits.
Programmes include the pre-school forum designed to help daycare owners, teachers and child healthcare practitioners gain the skills and licencing necessary to run their own early child development (ECD) centres.
To date, PEN has opened over 79 ECD centres and assisted over 371 ECD practitioners in aspects such as safety upgrades, lesson planning, training sessions and many others.
ECD centres can be currently found in Winterveld, Sunnyside, Nellmapius, Kagiso, and Johannesburg. PEN, in addition to the centres, started two pre-schools in Sunnyside and central Pretoria called Sun Sparrows and Pennies respectively.
PEN also wants to tackle youth unemployment through various programmes that cover each area of development in a young inner-city life. These programmes under their “ecosystem of care” address well-being in the community, spiritual, vocational, physical and emotional sense to provide young disadvantaged people with every opportunity to have a better life.
Some of the local and international donors PEN has collaborated with include Absa, FNB, Soviet, Italtile, Mergon, Prime Product Manufacturers and Metterdaad.
PEN currently employs just over 135 people and is home to many volunteers.
“We need to extend and preserve what we have,” said Lombard.
“Society is complex and it keeps changing. We have to ensure we can help people no matter what. Unfortunately, that takes money.”
PEN also wants to help the parents and families of these disadvantaged young people to address where the problem starts.
“Despite being based on Christian values, PEN does not believe in turning anyone of a different faith away.
“Being a part of our community does mean adhering to a faith-based code of conduct, however.”
PEN intends to celebrate its beneficiaries and their accomplishments this October with a special ceremony including performances, speeches and testimonies to commemorate 30 years of charitable work.
To find out more about PEN, visit: www.pen.org.za.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
