Imagine having to live on R1,200-R1,300 per month – that is the average income per four-person household in Port Alfred’s poorest communities, according to NGO Sunshine Life Centre statistics.
It is in the light of these jaw-dropping statistics that the Sunshine Life Centre is mobilising efforts to develop skills among impoverished communities so they can become self-sufficient to alleviate their vicious cycle of poverty that has many of them living on the edge.
At the heart of this drive is social justice advocate and the centre’s director, Hyman Van Zyl.
Van Zyl said, at their hosting of a very successful inaugural market day at their headquarters at the old train station last weekend, that the organisation was now trying to take their skills development centre one step further.
“We are planning an offset market in line with our enterprise development initiative where people can come learn skills at our skills development centre and then organise a market day where they can sell their products.”
One example is talented self-taught acrylic artist, Athabile Ngwenda, who was selling his colourful artwork at the market day. With him was wife, Anelisa, who was selling her assortment of crocheted items. “I did not study art, says Ngwenda. I do some of these out of my head arbitrarily while the portraits I paint from photographs. I am doing it full-time to earn a living.”
Van Zyl says Ngwenda and Anelisa are examples of what can be achieved when people with natural talent can be given a helping hand to enhance their skills and become self-sufficient.
“Athabile is honing his skills at our skills development centre; we have a new lady on board who is an art teacher, who is also teaching crafts and pottery … we are doing sewing courses in the creative sector and we are looking to expand it,” said Van Zyl.
“In fact Anelisa is developing her natural skills even more intensely at the centre and she doubles as an assistant to our skills development head.”
Another boost for Port Alfred’s battling communities is the NGO forum – a gathering of all development NGOs in the region that got off the ground two years ago.
“At the end of last year at our AGM we elected a board; so we are more structured and the idea is to stimulate more collaboration. We have also done a few capacity-building courses for NGO members to smooth out the delivery of development aid.”
Van Zyl said they have put in a proposal to the Ndlambe Municipality to utilise the open stretch in Pascoe Crescent along the Kowie River. “If that can happen the NGO forum can really take off … as we can grow the development centre, host bigger and better market days and make a bigger impact as the NGO forum.”
Van Zyl said when people in need approach their centre’s helpdesk with development challenges, or are battling to make ends meet, a consultation is set up.
“They are placed in a programme that is relevant to them. When others come here and say they are struggling and do not have the basics at home; we give them one food parcel and clothes and whatever for free, but they do have to commit to our training programmes if they want more.”
“Our average income statistics which we log comprehensively according to every monitored client is R1,200-R1,300 per month for three to four people. How do you just survive on that? Not to speak about fulfilling your interests and your future.
“Currently we are allocating people to occupational skills training and we are running programmes for domestic workers, for waiters and waitresses, baristas and we have just started a training course for caregivers in conjunction with Damant Lodge. We also have skills training for gardeners and handymen and photographers. Some leave with a fully prepared business plan and help them with business registration.”
Van Zyl’s passion for Sunshine Life and its development initiatives stems from his belief that all people should have access to ample opportunities, whereby they can grow and develop their interests and talents “so they can have a full life”.
“This should be the purpose of all institutions. There should not be one single person today who is merely on the edge, trying to survive because they don’t have enough food. So the Sunshine Life Centre is just trying to figure it out … what can we do to give people access to opportunities where they can grow and have a full life.
He said social development were playing a role in addressing these problems but more needed to be done.
“What’s great about Port Alfred is that businesses are very open to assist and ready to help. I have been elected to the tourism board to represent the development centre which is really a great because it has opened that door to play an even more meaningful role in pushing back the frontiers of poverty.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, July 17, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
