The Manaleni Center is one of five centers operated by MCDC in KwaMhlanga.
MCDC Home Page
Opened in June 2007, the Manaleni Center has been sponsored from the outset by the HIV / AIDS Ministry at St. James.
The Manaleni Center cares for 100 - 120 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (e.g., a child whose mother is dying of AIDS and is too weak to attend to the child's needs) by feeding the children, clothing them, providing school uniforms, tutoring, and loving them.
TheSt. James HIV / AIDS Ministry does more than just pay the money necessary to operate the Center -- $90,000 a year. It's object is to establish real relationships with the kids by making annual visits and connecting between visits.
If the children are in need of something, the Ministry exists to respond. During the third visit the Team conducted minor health care screening. As a result five of the children at Manaleni now have eye glasses whereas no one knew they had a vision problem before the visit.
During the fourth visit the kids went on field trips. The little ones visited the Petoria Zoo and the older youth to a theme park. For approximately 90 out of the 100 children this wa their first visit out of their community to a city.
In the midst of extreme poverty and sickness, the children at Manaleni are happy kids who deserve a chance in life just like children everywhere. Another desire of the Ministry is to university educate those teens who qualify.
Dr. Buys and Pastor Paul with Kids committing to God at Sunday worship at Mananleni Center. |
Attached to each Center, including Manaleni, is a Christian congregation and a pastor serving adults and children in the Center's immediate community. Pastor Solomon serves the people around Manaleni and conducts worship there each Sunday. His wife Prisca assists with the music.
Opening day at the Manaleni Center |
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| Pastor Solomon and the Manaleni Staff |
The Manaleni Center Opens
The first team from St. James visited KwaMhlanga in February of 2007 and were at oncecaptured by the tireless work and inspiring faith of those working at MCDC to alleviate the suffering of so many. At the time MCDC operated four centers which cared for 100 - 120 orphans and vulnerable children and ministered to the community in other ways - home care workers for the sick, foster care for orphans, a hospice for those dying alone, and a place for people to worship and grow in the faith. A fifth building stood vacant because it would have been financially irresponsible to start a new Center if the long term funding was not in place. Following their return the Team from St. James challenged each other and others to make it happen. The initial $60,000 needed to operate the Center for a year was contributed and additional funds for the future were procuredt. In June 2007 Manaleni opened and started serving the community.
515 Fun Bags Sent To
The MCDC Kids
The Middle School ministry of St. James initiated the idea of sending each child in each of the five centers a bag of goodies -- toys, toiletries, games.
People inside and outside of St. James bought the items and filled gallon plastic bags with each one being marked by age and sex for the intended recipient.
The following link to an article contains a picture showing the arrival of the bags pending distribution to the children.
See a MCDC Newsletter showing the arrival of the bags
Christmas Party Celebration!
St. James couldn't be there, but paid for a Christmas party at the Manaleni Center in 2007. Too bad St. James couldn't attend. The celebration made You Tube!
Click to see the party: Christmas Party 2007
