About Rays of Hope
Rays of Hope is a ministry of Rosebank Union Church which started operating in Alexandra Township in 1991. We now have a network of seven community-based projects, impacting over 2 000 people, primarily focusing on orphaned and vulnerable children, education and work readiness. The intervention and care is holistic, addressing spiritual, physical, and psycho-social needs of beneficiaries.
Rays of Hope is focused on developing significant partnerships with stakeholders in the township, and funding organisations in South Africa at large, to ensure the sustainability of projects in Alex.
Alexandra Township
The projects of Rays of Hope focus specifically on the communities in Alexandra Township, an area with significant needs a mere 8km from Rosebank Union Church.
The Projects of Rays of Hope
Rose-Act
ROSE-ACT is based at the Central Johannesburg College, Alexandra Campus, where more than 250 students each year from Grades 4-9 are tutored in Maths and English. Students are rewarded for academic achievement throughout the year, and Rose-Act also provides social and spiritual enrichment through holiday clubs, an annual camp and extramural activities. This positively impacts the children’s well-being as well as their academic results. The Saturday School encourages the growth of students’ self-belief and nurtures hope for a meaningful future.
Ithemba Labantwana
ITHEMBA LABANTWANA programme focuses on orphaned and vulnerable children living in Alex. While some have a relative or caring adult somewhere in the community, most still live in desperate situations. The team partners with family members or caregivers to assess and determine the best possible care plan for each child. They work with schools, authorities and other organisations to best meet these children’s needs. Through love, practical care and comprehensive programming, it is hoped that each child will be able to break the cycle of victimisation, and have a solid foundation on which to build a healthy and fulfilled life.
Ithemba Village
ITHEMBA VILLAGE strives to provide excellent holistic care to vulnerable, abused, orphaned and neglected children in a family setting. The family provides the love and support that each child needs to reach their potential, enabling them to grow and develop in a healthy way, and eventually live independently as adults contributing to society. Currently six children are cared for by a foster mother and father. The Vision is to replicate this model until a village of foster homes is achieved.
Gogos of Hope
GOGO-HEADED households remain the norm in Alexandra, where grandmothers (gogos) have lost or buried their children, and become parents once again. They are the unsung heroes of communities, and fill in the family gap as nurturers for the next generation. The vision for the Gogos of Hope support group is to provide a place where grannies in Alexandra can be cared for, encouraged and supported, so that they can carry their unexpected and untimely burden effectively. They are also taught skills like crocheting, sewing and beading, which assists them to supplement their income and support their families.
Home-Based Care
THE HOME-BASED CARE team visits the sick and dying in their homes in Alexandra on a weekly basis, in particularly HIV/AIDS patients. They provide advice, comfort, encouragement and spiritual support through prayer and Scripture. Practical items such as food, clothing, bed linen and household equipment are also provided. The HBC team repair and clean the shacks, and take the patients to the clinic or call an ambulance when necessary. They continue to visit patients until they are stable.
Ignition
IGNITION aims to light the future dreams of township matriculants by equipping them for meaningful employment through education and mentoring. The programme fills the gap for students who do not qualify for scholarships or bursaries and have no access to student loans. After thorough career guidance, Ignition assists with finances for study and supports students with workshops and one-on-one mentoring to ensure success, both in their studies and as they start work.
Early Childhood Development
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT project partners with caregivers in crèches so that they can be equipped with the skills and knowledge to nurture 0-6 year olds so that they can develop and thrive. The focus is on health and the early educational needs of the children laying a solid platform for later learning. A trained ECD practitioner supports the caregivers in their crèches, and a multidisciplinary team of volunteers offers training.
Knox
KNOX, ‘the school of hard knocks’, constitutes a small group of adults who live in Alex and meet on a Saturday to receive life coaching. Knox is aimed at men and women who are without formal employment and have little opportunity to get work and provide for their families. Entrepreneurs and business-minded individuals support them through their life challenges with counsel and encouragement. The project has been successful in forging partnerships with corporates who have placed members of the group into learnerships.
Pilot Projects
Job Creation (‘Depo’ Project)
Women from the community are trained in basic business skills, earning an income by selling quality second hand clothing that is donated to Rays of Hope. By reducing the cycle of poverty and unemployment in Alexandra, and by giving ‘a hand up and not a hand out’, dignity and self-esteem is being restored to these families.
Food Security
What children eat and its nutritional value contributes to both physical health and cognitive development, influencing their school readiness and academic success. Conversely, there is a direct link between food insecurity resulting in weakened immune systems and lower academic scores. Rays of Hope is providing fresh fruits and vegetables nourishing approximately 1 700 beneficiaries on a weekly basis.
If you would like to find out more about Rays of Hope or how to get involved with their ministry in Alexandra, please visit their website.
Rays of Hope is registered as a Section 21 Company (registration no. 063 389 NPO), and a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) (registration no. 9300 26797 PBO) with Section 18A status.