GROW Hillbrow

About GROW Hillbrow

This initiative is an opportunity for anyone, but particularly, un-employable and vulnerable persons, to participate in a job- and life-rehabilitation programme, earning cash in hand for honest hard work, of which the end result is a “Graduation List” of participants who are deemed to be employable persons of quality.

The Project serves as an alternative to dependency, aggressive begging or crime. This happens through being coached in “working in a team”, in “what it takes to co-operate” and “ what it takes to be valuable”. Specific learning and training areas are:

• Cleaning up litter and / or pollution
• Cleaning up our environment
• Cleaning up bad habits and bad attitudes
• Cleaning up lives
• Cleaning up our community

Service goals of the GROW Hillbrow project include the following:
1. The removal of 12 cubic meters of litter per week from the streets and common areas in the defined area in Hillbrow.
2. Three teams of 4 participants (1 team leader 3 team members) to clean 8 hours per day Monday to Friday.
3. Establish a visible presence in Hillbrow by having participants wear branded bibs.

Participant goals of the GROW Hillbrow project:
The general idea is that participants be assessed and individual development plans are developed that include the following developmental goals -
1. Securing basic accommodation that can include shelter residency.
2. Acquiring an identity document and bank account.
3. Complete MES soft skills programme.
4. Enroll in some form of skills or educational development.

Services offered by MES

MES serves the community through a range of programmes that address the needs of the community through a process of prevention, intake and assessment, intervention and sustainable exit throughout all its programmes.

MES implements its services through three core service units namely:

1. Poverty Alleviation, Spiritual & Community Enrichment
a. Spiritual Enrichment: Pastors providing counsel to those in need in shelters and out on the streets.
b. Social Relief and Community Outreaches: soup kitchen and outreaches to the street community.
c. Residential Care: providing accommodation to those clients that are participating in MES programmes for the duration of their intervention.

2. Skills Training and Enterprise Development
a. Job Rehab: an opportunity for anyone, but particularly, un-employable and desperate persons, to participate in a job- and life-rehabilitation programme, earning cash in hand for honest hard work.
b. Skills training: empowering individuals between the age of 18 and 35 with soft- and vocational skills in order for them to find work and earn an income.
c. Enterprise Development: employing trained clients into various jobs and creating job opportunities.
d. Early Childhood Development centers.

3.Professional Social Work and Health services.
a. Family preservation services including foster care placements, statutory case loads and professional counselling.
b. Drug and substance abuse programmes
c. Individual Development plan development and monitoring.
d. Other social services such as family reunification and rehabilitation.
e. Primary Health Care and Education
f. Hospice and inpatient care services

by MES - Mould, Empower, Serve

Hillbrow, Johannesburg Poverty Alleviation Social Need Job Creation

Project activity

Funded to date:

R 127,000

Funding goal: R 127,000

NGO: MES - Mould, Empower, Serve

Start: 20th April 2015

End: 1st March 2016

Field agent: Leona Pienaar
leona@mes.org.za.