This is a lay people community, emerged within the catholic church of the diocese of Johannesburg co-founded by four (4) salesian past-pupils with the tangible hand of salesian priests of the province of AFM South Africa who boosted us up by granting us the house that we have made our first home and office of our projects.
- HISTORY OF THE NGO -
Initially this community started and officially opened on the 19 of Jun 2001with the following name: ST.FRANCIS DE SALES HOME whose aim was to cater for new comers and stranded refugees. It has been officially registered on 10 / 07 / 2003 as a Non-Governmental and Non-Profitable Organization under the non-profitable act number 71 of 1997.Having a broader focus on social, training, education, professional skills, culture, visit to patients and counseling especially to underprivileged people: poor youngsters, streets kids, young prisoners, and even refugees. Thus the ST. FRANCIS HOME has remained one of the programs of our NGO.
- OUR VALUES -
Though its four (4) founders were and are Catholics supported by salesians priests within the church , this community is embracing and ecumenical for some of the past-pulpils are no longer catholics but would want to collaborate in the same salesian education and spirit they received. However, without compromising our Christian principles which are even the reasons for our existence.
So, our MOTTO in all we do, and the spirit behind all our activities is found in: John 17:3-4.Paraphrased, to make known the Father God and the One He sent: Jesus Christ to the whole world as far as possible; that is eternal life. This in conjunction with Don Bosco’s MOTTO: “It is enough to be young for me to love you”. And his famous: ‘DA MIHI ANIMAS QUAITERA TOLE’
THE VISION FOR OUR PROJECT: Our
dream is that this, expands all over the world and touch and bless so many lives
and especially those of our particular concern.
OUR MISSION: People empowerment,
especially youths through social-economic, development and spiritual activities
for the promotion of the human being as a whole with dignity and respect.
OUR MAIN OBJECTIVES:
- To promote capacity development within the young people.
- To promote an active participation and contribution of the youth in the building
of the South African Nation , country and the world as a whole.
-To raise up the profile and experiences of the youth in our communities.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
-To initiate a platform of exchange services between local, national youths
and international, where they will be able to benefit from each other.
- To develop vocational skills, standard and behavior amongst the youths especially
the underprivileged.
-To initiate and promote educational, technical and social advancement projects,
vocational guidance and counseling.
FOUNDERS OF THE PROJECT:
With the full support and combined initiatives of Fr.Francois Dufour sdb, who
is actually the salesian provincial delegate to our projects, the four salesian
past-pupils founders are:
- JULES KISONDE Co-founder
- POLYDOR LOKOMBE SUNGU Co-founder
- RALPH NGOY NDOBE Co-founder
- LUCIEN MUTOMBO Co-founder
- ORGANOGRAM -
TRUSTEES:
SALESIAN PROVINCIAL AFM COUNCIL THROUGH THEIR DELEGATE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS / DIREECTORS:
AMONGST FOUNDERS
MANAGEMENT:
MAJORITY OF PAST-PUPILS
PROJECT COORDINATION
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
VOLUNTEERS
THOSE WE SERVE THOSE WE SERVE THOSE WE SERVE
MEMBERSHIP: All salesian past-pupils
locally or internationally, national or international organizations, individuals,
friends in contact with salesian activities, all donors and supporters in anyway,
all who want to help our community, NGO achieve its objectives can join and
be a member in one of the many ways:
-Through merely becoming a friend of the community by contributing with a fee
or by a dynamic voluntary participation to the day to day activities of the
community, or again by becoming a sponsor of one or more of our projects. Each
has to ratify his, her membership as underlined above.
- PARTNERSHIP AND CONNECTIVITY -
- Connected to Combonians through their magazine (MUNDO NEGRO)
- Connected to Famille Chretienne via their magazine of the same name.
- Emmanuel Community via: - FIDESCO volunteers namely:
| Vivien Martineau Aurelien L’hermite Carole Helbar |
Their monthly magazine:
- Il Tempio di
Don Bosco ( magazine )
- Il Bulletino salesiano ( magazine)
- Sr. Claudia Hausmann O.P ( HIV/AIDS coordinator, JHB diocese )
- Sr. Dietard Steffan O.P ( JHB Hospital chaplain )
- Sr. Gladys ( Rahab ‘s center director )
- Fr. Louis Blondel from CORDIS ( Orange farm )
- PABALHO YA BANTU ( Methodist church )
- Salesians AFM province
- Johannesburg French community ( Fr.Blaise )
- Renewal Charismatic Johannesburg ( Cathedral of Christ the King )
- Youth Alive ( a behavior change program with Sr. Miriam op. now mother superior
residing in UK
Our present target groups:
- Refugees from different parts of Africa ( at our shelter )
- Prisons outreach
- Homeless, street kids outreach ( soup kitchen, counseling )
- Patients outreach ( at the hospital as well as at their respective homes )
Target area: though we started in south Africa, and Johannesburg to be as our
initial target area, our vision is to expand up to other parts of the country
and of the world too, as far as it will be possible.
IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR MOTTO : It is done via many different tangible
activities,
- Evangelization: - prayer life as part of the renewal charismatic here in Johannesburg
- Praise and Worship
- Sharing the word of God within and without
- And other spiritual training too.
- Entrepreneurship emphasized through out all our mentioned fields ( we make
it one of our apostolate )
- Agriculture project at Bosco Youth Center ( work and apostolate )
- Chicken and other animal rearing project ( work and apostolate )
- Introducing people, young especially to Christ
- Recollections, retreats and night-vigils
- Entertainment : Sport, camping, music, games, ...
YET TO BE DONE:
- Finding a big place and construct a building for our programs or alternatively
at the moment renting wonderful premises we recently visited which would accommodate
almost all we would like to undertake and that which we have already undertaken.
That is a general shelter for all street kids who would come on a daily basis,
a dormitory, a refectory, workshop part, rehabilitation building, sanitary,
leisure area and others.
- Agriculture and chicken rearing
- Equipping our workshop with different appropriates tools, machines: for refrigeration,
electrical, carpentry, mechanics, computer center, electronics,...
- To implement a bursary or scholarship policy for a few refugees we receive
at our home and for some local stranded youngsters.
- To amplify the capacity of our shelter so that we may be able to accommodate
a large number as possible as we always are out of vacancies whilst they are
plenty demands.
- Implementation of an international volunteering policy this is in line with
our internationaty and the achievement of our cultural objective.
ACOMMODATION: For young people up to 20 years of age
stranded or victims of some injustices whatsoever, this is for street kids and
prisoners. The reason for being accommodated is that of training and skills
to be given and for a careful and serious follow up. Yet to come with the help
of God and Benefactors. The period would be from three (3) months minimum to
twenty four (24) months and depending.
For young refugees of at least 18 years of age who are stranded and do not have where to put their head, we offer short term shelter for you up to three(3) months, and believe that you can also according to your interest some of our skills and training. However, note that places, beds are very, very limited, so it is on compliance and first come first served basis we operate.
DIFFICULTIES:
- Of finding members or people to offer their expertise benevolently ( Volunteers
)
- Lack of an appropriate big area
- Lack of sponsorship ( financial, material, equipment )
- Transport as we go to our various outreach places ( for no vehicle of our
own )
in all this using the money from our own pockets.
Though our programs are basically self-sustaining, up-to date
we have never received any financial or in-kind ( equipment, tools, or else
) support which would enable us to help ourselves and the people we are called
to help. We, nonetheless acknowledge to have received a few stuffs, little but
not less important, for which we are very grateful :
1. Eighteen (18) blankets (which are now torn) plus eight (8) beds for the refugees
we shelter and assist with accommodation.
2. Funitures
3. We also received some money from:
- Don Bosco mission Sherbrook ( Canada ) canadian dollar 800,00
- J.R.S Johannesburg R10.000,00 this together with the above amount from Canada
we were able to buy only a few carpentry hand tools for our workshop where we
manufacture tables and other objects. More and professional tools and equipment
are urgently needed.
- Human rights Johannesburg through Sally recommended and supported one Ethiopian
guy to our home.
- Last year J.R.S intervened for a few months contributing with R 200=00 each
for two (2) of the many stranded guys we had received .
APPRECIATIONS :
Our appreciations go to all people, individuals or organizations who had in
any way been of great help to us, among others are :
- Salesians in Johannesburg for their great moral and in-kind support, namely
for the
house where we are at the moment based.
- J.R.S for the R 10.000,00 granted to us last year and for supporting at least
for some months two of the gentlemen we received .
- Salesian mission from Canada in the person of Fr. Cossette sdb for the
canadian dollar 800,00 received last year.
- Sr. Ornia ( former development diocesan coordinator ) for a few blankets donation
made to us upon starting.
- Sr. Amelie and Sr. Lucie ( sisters of charity ) for their moral and in-kind
support
namely for their donation of the other lot of blankets.
- Fr. Louis Blondel to have been our model in many areas, especially in agriculture
and for a carpentry work that he gave us.
- Human rights Johannesburg for supporting us with a donation at least
for one month contribution, on behalf of one Ethiopian guy we sheltered for
nearly
three months.
- Fr. Lasalo a new comer Hungarian diocesan priest for his expertise, encouragement,
accompaniment, presence and supportive participation for the ministries we are
Involved in namely: homeless street kids and young prisoners, and prostitutes.
- All organizations, associations, communities supporting us with relevant information
for our growth, via various means like magazines, journals, books, ...
- The above list is not exhaustive, therefore the same appreciations go to the
Unmentioned supporters too.
- To our specific moral and prayer supporters, you have really been a physical
and
Spiritual source of strength and power, you are our gift from God the Father.
- To the Silesians from Florida (USA) specifically, Fr.Louis Molinelli and the
associate John Mcchoo for donating $ 200=00 to one of our members contributing
to his school fees.
- B.G Company in the title of Bienvenu Mupulunga for assisting us in constituting
At the moment, with the skills we have each one of us earns
and generate money
Whether indoors or outdoors then put some money together for the running of
our projects, i.e. administration costs, ... in the main, the wisdom and providence
of our God had supplied.
Our shelter cottage, which is closer to our workshop, has a capacity of ten
(10) people and male only.
In spite of lack of the appropriate finances and equipment we are pleased to
announce that about sixty (60)
People have benefited of our care at this shelter, excluding those who come
for a few days, a day or hours.
Those who have been benefiting from this include: -Congolese great percent,
-a Zimbabwean and –An Ethiopian.
TESTIMONIES :
‘I have nothing much to say except that St. FRANCIS DE SALES HOME had
been a door and good news for a greater future in my life’ ( Celestin
Muboyayi, WITS University ).
DONATIONS AND SUPPORTS NEEDED:
All kind of donations and supports (financial or in-kind ) contributing to the
growth of this NGO are welcome from anyone, individuals or organizations.
Physical : St.Francis de Sales Home Buxton street number 50,
Doornfontein .That is near Technikon WITS
Postal : St. Francis de Sales Home , Po Box: 15817, Doornfontein
2028
Contact person : POLYDOR LOKOMBE
E-mail : lokombe_s@hotmail.com
Tel / Fax : + 27 11 404672 if from out side South Africa
( 011) 4024672 within South Africa.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING OUR WEB PAGE MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU !