Seed of Hope’s prayers answered
Over the years we’ve grown dramatically and local people now view the organisation as an asset in the community
Thirteen years of hope and prayers were answered at Seed of Hope Community Development (SoH) this week.
Inkosi Nathi Maphumulo and the Maphumulo Traditional Council visited the organisation’s headquarters to officially allocate its property in a traditional ceremony in Bhekulwandle.
In 2003, SoH began refurbishing part of the former Bible college campus, which had sat derelict since the late 1980s.
The organisation has converted several buildings for educational, health and skills programmes, and has plans to develop other initiatives in the newly acquired buildings on its property.
Inkosi Maphumulo led his councillors and the organisation’s staff on a walk around the 1.6-hectare site, demarcating its boundaries and notifying Bhekulwandle residents of the transfer.
“We, the Inkosi and Traditional Council, are happy to announce that the entire property and all rights associated with it are now Seed of Hope’s.
We declare that from today, the name of this place has changed from iBaybheli to Seed of Hope,” said Inkosi Maphumulo to assembled guests.
The day marked the fulfillment of a dream for SoH co-founder, Heather Liebenberg and the organisation’s staff and management team.
They recalled the early efforts to reclaim rooms from squatters, goats and vandals. “This place actually had a bad reputation in the community as a place of crime, drugs and lawlessness back then.
When we started programmes for children, only one room was open and the rest were used by squatters and some seedy characters.
Over the years we’ve grown dramatically and local people now view the organisation and the property as an asset in the community,” she said.
SoH serves over 1,100 clients each month through its daily after-school programmes for children, sewing and farming skills training, and programmes to improve health and family sustainability in Bhekulwandle and its surrounding communities.
Its vision is ‘Working Together To Build Thriving Communities’ and now with the property officially in its name, the organisation can continue to grow even further.
