PHAKAMISA is pronounced pa-ga-mee-sa.
A Zulu word meaning 'to uplift.'

ABOUT US

Phakamisa exists to serve and uplift impoverished communities through the provision ofeducational training, resourcing and support

A COMMITED PEOPLE

COMMITTED

Phakamisa is all about people and we are benefited by our team of highly skilled people, both volunteers and paid employees. We have a paid staff of 25 full and part time teachers, trainers and mentors many of whom live in the communities we serve and are experienced and knowledgable community workers.

We are a hard working, committed, flexible people, devoted to being a sign of the Kingdom of God in a broken world.

PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

Glenda Howieson – bringing 20 years of experience and skills as a qualified teacher has been instrumental in the educational component of the project being of such high value.
Glenda co-ordinates the various aspects of the project, particularly relationship building with all full, part time and volunteer staff, all local & foreign donors and the communities reached by Phakamisa.

Meet Glenda’s team.

To contact Glenda please email her on glendah@phakamisa.org

DONATE NOW

A hand UP not a hand OUT.



Help us to uplift people from impoverishment.


Phakamisa Partners is our regular giving scheme allowing us to better plan and implement our work.

Please make a difference and become a Phakamisa Partner

EDUCARE TEAM

Picture shows from left to right - Elaine, Thandi, Nomalanga, Sheila, Nonkululeko, Cathy. Seated - Smangele, Jabu, Thabisile.

EDUCARE TRAINERS

Qualified teachers, Elaine and Cathy instruct the Educare and Childminder students on how to teach pre-school skills. This requires great skill and understanding of the starting point of many trainees.

EDUCARE MONITORS

Thabisile, Jabu, Sheila and Smangele are our monitors who assist the students both at the workshops and then back in their own situations to implement the learning. Their work is critical to the success of the project.

WANDERING TEACHERS

Nomalanga, Nonkululeko and Thandi all Phakamisa trained Educare teachers each work as Wandering Teachers in informal settlements and the poorest of communities.

CAREGIVER TEAM

Picture shows from left to right - Nellie, Alexia, Eunice, Magugu. Seated - Fikile, Thabi, Mumsie.

CAREGIVER TRAINERS

Our trainers understand the needs of the community and our skilled teachers in:- Nellie - beadwork Zola – cooking and baking, Alexia – sewing and parenting skills. All three are trained and teach adult literacy.

CAREGIVER MONITORS

Eunice, Magugu, Thabi, Fikile, Mumsie, The Caregiver monitors are local speaking Zulu women who assist the Caregiver trainers and help the Caregiver leaders implement their workshop learning back home with regular visits to the groups. Our monitors have very effectively, over the last few years intructed the leaders in Home Based Care. Thabi, Eunice and Mumsie also teach adult literacy.

SUPPORT TEAM

Picture shows BFT our driver.

SUPPORT TEAM

Our support comes from:-

Margaret – our part time secretary, Lorraine and Jeanette - who look after financial records/accounts.

BFT Gumede – our driver who does the ‘bread runs’ and so much more.>

Christopher Hlengwa – our caretaker who keeps our Phakamisa classrooms, offices and working areas clean and tidy.

THE COMMITTEE

CHAIRMAN –Shaun Hornby, an attorney with 17 years experience in practice heads the Committee of 10 volunteer people who invest their time to support, advise and govern the work of Phakamisa.
Rev Smanga Bosman is the minister (one of three) at Pinetown Methodist Church whose responbilities include the care of the ministry which is Phakamisa.
Glenda Howieson – Project Co-ordinator who has been responsible for the project’s development since it’s inception.

VOLUNTEERS

Phakamisa benefits hugely from a wealth of volunteer work, both at Pinetown and in the communities.

PINETOWN METH CHURCH

Every Wednesday groups of ladies gather to divide the seeds which Phakamisa buys in bulk into small, affordable bundles which are sold at a nominal price to Caregivers. These ladies also help with admin tasks.
The Women’s Auxiliary based at Pinetown Methodist Church help us once a month in a variety of ways including cutting out childrens clothes. These pieces of material are then sewn up into finished garments by volunteers from the church congregation

COMMUNITIES

The staff of many of the crèches supported by Phakamisa can be regarded as partially volunteer staff. The poor communities in which they operate cannot afford fees so they work for little or no financial reward.
Caregivers do their work without any reward and without them more than 6,000 children would be totally destitute and abandoned.