“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? […] or needing clothes and clothe you?”
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
MATTHEW 25:37-40
The Impact Center in South Africa Will Be Built!
We have met our goal of $82,500
We have some amazing news to share! We have not only reached but actually surpassed our goal of $82,500 to build an Impact Center in partnership with Orchard: Africa. And we couldn’t have done it without every one of you who contributed and made this a reality.
Thanks to your generous support, Orchard: Africa can now kickstart the construction of this incredible Impact Center. It’s going to be a place where people can get access to food, learn to grow their own food, children will receive an education, and those in the lowest rungs of the economy will even receive help in starting their own small businesses. How awesome is that? But that’s not all – they’ll also gain valuable skills that will transform their lives and help them thrive. And as we do all this, we’ll be directly sharing the message of Jesus Christ with every single person we serve.
By investing in this mission, you become a full partner in making a difference. Your financial support is not just about money; it’s an investment in God’s kingdom that will bring many people to find faith in Jesus Christ. And at the same time, it will have a profound impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people in South Africa.
Victory Lutheran Church is proud to partner with Orchard: Africa which has the mission of equipping churches in South Africa to care for the vulnerable and to be the response to poverty and injustice in their communities. They provide tools for leaders serving under-resourced communities through four main programs: Food & Agriculture, Education, Care, and Ministry.
Want to learn more about Orchard: Africa? Click here!
FROM SHANTY TOWN TO EUROPEAN DINING
A few years ago, Thulisile started a small restaurant in the shanty-town of Nkanini, Khayelitsha. He did not know at the time that it would be as successful as it is today.
Thulisile, a trained chef, was invited to attend a small business training program hosted by Orchard:Africa in partnership with the University of Cincinnati Business Studies faculty. Every year, Orchard: Africa identifies small businesses from vulnerable communities that show potential for growth and success. The business owners are then connected to the University of Cincinnati where the students work with them for a semester, assisting them in branding and other marketing strategies. This then culminates in a week-long training in South Africa, followed up by ongoing training by local experts in entrepreneurial growth at the Orchard: Africa Impact Center.
After going through this process, Thulisile’s restaurant has seen staggering growth, to the point that he regularly has tourists from the Netherlands and other European countries dine at his restaurant.
In May this year, another group of entrepreneurs finished off their semester of working with the University of Cincinnati, similar to the training that Thulisile was part of 4 years ago. We invited Thulisile to address them. The aspiring small business owners of our program this year were truly inspired and motivated by his story and he, in turn, was so proud to be a part of their journey.
Church leaders in the Western Cape are deeply grateful for the fact that Orchard: Africa not only helps their churches care for the vulnerable in their communities, but that we also bring economic upliftment by helping entrepreneurs with their small businesses.
We are grateful for our partnership with the University of Cincinnati Business Studies. We are also grateful for you, our Orchard Community. You own the impact of the success that Thulisile, and other small business owners are having.