The Pinelands Church is very active in the Joe Slovo Squatter Camp which is adjacent to the Langa Township in Cape Town. Joe Slovo is a deprived community of 15000 with an unemployment rate of 70% (South Africa has no social security system). In also has one school, the Chris Hani Independent School, which caters for 650 children. Because the community is deemed to have no long term title to the land the South African Ministry of Education does not recognise the school and they receive no government assistance. However despite the tremendous odds the parents have managed to keep the school going, paying the teachers salaries out of their meagre incomes. In November last year the community received a windfall when American talk show host Oprah Winfrey agreed to carry the costs of the teachers' salaries for the next two years.

The Chris Hani School

Pinelands has been involved in assisting the community since a fire devastated the area 4 years ago. In order to give the project an identity is was decided to name it nge Phambili nge Themba (a Xhosa phrase which means Going forward with Hope).

The Pinelands community feed the children at the school twice a week and assist with school maintenance and administration. In view of the lack of teaching resources members of the Pinelands congregation teach Art to the children.

School Lunch Break

In an attempt to assist the families to develop and a means of income. Pinelands currently pay the salary of a lady who is conducting sewing classes for the ladies of the community. These ladies are taught the basics of sewing and a graduation ceremony is held upon successful completion of the course. These ladies are now making "tourist" artefacts such as cushion covers and these are being sold to up-market tourist outlets in places such as the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town. In addition leatherwork classes have been started for the men.

Phambili Cushion Sewing

In is hoped that we at Haxby & Wigginton will be able to assist Pinelands in a tangible way with this project.