Sweet Home Farm

Sweet Home Farm is an informal settlement that was originally a rubble dump in the Philippi farm area and is now home to approximately 12 000 people, with around ten people per home. In 1995 it was a small group of 15 shacks, but has grown each year as people have settled there for lack of better options. It is still largely undeveloped in terms of access to water and electricity. "One of the problems is that half of the land is council land and the other half is privately owned, so the council cannot put in amenities like electricity and water," explains Goodman James, who works with Joy in the community, employed by The Warehouse, as well as a resident of Sweet Home Farm. Half of the community have no proper toilets and the other half share six families per toilet unit.
Community leaders estimate that the unemployment rate is a shocking 70% and malnutrition and other social ills that go with poverty, pervade. "One of the most worrying things is the lack of access to education in the community," says Ntlalo Mgadela, a member of the community and youth worker, "And the children have to walk or go by buses to schools in other areas." He goes on to explain how the lack of ability to provide for one's family has resulted in many fathers losing hope completely as they watch their children struggle and not get the opportunity for a better life. "This leads to breakdown of the family unit," he said, "And it's soul destroying for the men in the community." The HIV/Aids rate is very high and the only clinic in the area services children and TB patients, but nobody else.

Sweet Home Farm is a community facing many social evils and although only a few kilometres from the wealth of the suburbs and city centre, is excluded from the benefits. Most of the people who live there will never see the 'other side' of Cape Town. It is more susceptible to disasters such as flooding and fires, due to the lay of the land and the closeness of the homes, largely made up of wood and tin.

Support Groups and Activities
It is into this scenario that Joy Kilambashe is working to bring both spiritual and physical hope to members of a often forgotten community, and sharing the love of Christ. His work has brought other people alongside in the vision, such as members of the community, Goodman James and Ntlalo Mgandela. "I want to help raise up other leaders to share in this ministry," says Joy, "And put effort into these young people who love their community and are committed to seeing God bring change." These are the areas of ministry that are already in process at the initiation of Joy during the past three years and form part of the church plant that is underway:

Senior Citizens' Club
This group of around 30 elderly people meet three times a week in a shack that they had built especially for the club. They discuss issues pertaining to their community, are equipped for various things such as how to access government grants, as well as encouraged in God's word. The Government's Social Development department promised the community a social worker to assess the problems facing the seniors of Sweet Home Farm three years ago, but they are still waiting to see this come to fruition. In the meantime, Joy and his co-workers continue to challenge government on their role in this community. The Seniors Club had a food garden at the local clinic, but due to equipment being stolen have had to halt that source of food. They are always looking for ways of income generation, and recently started a beadwork project that has already sold a few items.

HIV/Aids Support Group
This group of around 20 people meet on a weekly basis, mainly to support eachother through the burdensome challenges of living with HIV in economically challenging circumstances. "They share their burdens and talk, and we all enjoy a meal together," explains Joy, "As well as giving out food parcels once a month." The emotional support that they give eachother is also of great value. Recently a family threw their HIV-positive daughter out of their home for various reasons, but with Joy's intervention, she is back with her family and the mediation and support of the support group is the reason. "We stand together as a group," says Joy. The team also help the members with information such as how to access government grants or the right ARV treatment.

Creche
"Educate a child, educate a nation" comes into play when one sees how many children in Sweet Homes Farm are going to have limited access to the kind of most basic education that they need to be given a fair chance. The creche that Joy and three women from the community started and operate out of two containers, caters for sixty children. Joy, Goodman and The Warehouse walks alongside these women and supports them in their vision to give these children a head-start before they enter the broader schooling system.

Teenage Groups
The gathering of young people by Joy and Goodman is a recent development and centres around education, teaching, outings and meals together. "The main aim is to take them away from the places like shebeens. We talk about teenage pregnancy, HIV awareness, peer pressure, substance abuse - things that these young people are facing every day," says Goodman. "We try to communicate that there is so much more in life and you can enjoy it without drugs, without alcohol and without abusing their bodies," agrees Joy.

Church Plant
Whilst there are informal church gatherings in the area, there is nothing in the way of an Anglican Church presence, and the vision of the The Warehouse team, lead by Joy, is to see a healthy church planted in the area. Land has already been allocated by community leaders to facilitate the gathering and setting up of a church community in Sweet Home Farm. The church will be planted in partnership with the Diocese of False Bay, The Warehouse and St John's Parish.

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"One of the problems is that half of the land is council land and the other half is privately owned, so the council cannot put in amenities like electricity and water," explains Goodman James, who works with Joy in the community, employed by The Warehouse, as well as a resident of Sweet Home Farm. Half of the community have no proper toilets and the other half share six families per toilet unit. Community leaders estimate that the unemployment rate is a shocking 70% and malnutrition and other social ills that go with poverty, pervade. "One of the most worrying things is the lack of access to education in the community," says Ntlalo Mgadela, a member of the community and youth worker, "And the children have to walk or go by buses to schools in other areas." He goes on to explain how the lack of ability to provide for one's family has resulted in many fathers losing hope completely as they watch their children struggle and not get the opportunity for a better life. "This leads to breakdown of the family unit," he said, "And it's soul destroying for the men in the community." The HIV/Aids rate is very high and the only clinic in the area services children and TB patients, but nobody else. Sweet Home Farm is a community facing many social evils and although only a few kilometres from the wealth of the suburbs and city centre, is excluded from the benefits. Most of the people who live there will never see the 'other side' of Cape Town. It is more susceptible to disasters such as flooding and fires, due to the lay of the land and the closeness of the homes, largely made up of wood and tin. Support Groups and Activities It is into this scenario that Joy Kilambashe is working to bring both spiritual and physical hope to members of a often forgotten community, and sharing the love of Christ. His work has brought other people alongside in the vision, such as members of the community, Goodman James and Ntlalo Mgandela. "I want to help raise up other leaders to share in this ministry," says Joy, "And put effort into these young people who love their community and are committed to seeing God bring change." These are the areas of ministry that are already in process at the initiation of Joy during the past three years and form part of the church plant that is underway: Senior Citizens' Club This group of around 30 elderly people meet three times a week in a shack that they had built especially for the club. They discuss issues pertaining to their community, are equipped for various things such as how to access government grants, as well as encouraged in God's word. The Government's Social Development department promised the community a social worker to assess the problems facing the seniors of Sweet Home Farm three years ago, but they are still waiting to see this come to fruition. In the meantime, Joy and his co-workers continue to challenge government on their role in this community. The Seniors Club had a food garden at the local clinic, but due to equipment being stolen have had to halt that source of food. They are always looking for ways of income generation, and recently started a beadwork project that has already sold a few items. HIV/Aids Support Group This group of around 20 people meet on a weekly basis, mainly to support eachother through the burdensome challenges of living with HIV in economically challenging circumstances. "They share their burdens and talk, and we all enjoy a meal together," explains Joy, "As well as giving out food parcels once a month." The emotional support that they give eachother is also of great value. Recently a family threw their HIV-positive daughter out of their home for various reasons, but with Joy's intervention, she is back with her family and the mediation and support of the support group is the reason. "We stand together as a group," says Joy. The team also help the members with information such as how to access government grants or the right ARV treatment. Creche "Educate a child, educate a nation" comes into play when one sees how many children in Sweet Homes Farm are going to have limited access to the kind of most basic education that they need to be given a fair chance. The creche that Joy and three women from the community started and operate out of two containers, caters for sixty children. Joy, Goodman and The Warehouse walks alongside these women and supports them in their vision to give these children a head-start before they enter the broader schooling system. Teenage Groups The gathering of young people by Joy and Goodman is a recent development and centres around education, teaching, outings and meals together. "The main aim is to take them away from the places like shebeens. We talk about teenage pregnancy, HIV awareness, peer pressure, substance abuse - things that these young people are facing every day," says Goodman. "We try to communicate that there is so much more in life and you can enjoy it without drugs, without alcohol and without abusing their bodies," agrees Joy. Church Plant Whilst there are informal church gatherings in the area, there is nothing in the way of an Anglican Church presence, and the vision of the The Warehouse team, lead by Joy, is to see a healthy church planted in the area. Land has already been allocated by community leaders to facilitate the gathering and setting up of a church community in Sweet Home Farm. The church will be planted in partnership with the Diocese of False Bay, The Warehouse and St John's Parish. login to post comments Back Home	South Africa is one of the most economically unequal societies in the world Unemployment exceeds 40% in many Cape Town communities HIV infection rates are around 30% in Cape Town Read Ezekiel 16. 49-50 The Warehouse on Facebook Navigation blog blogs Who's online There are currently 0 users and 4 guests online. [login]