SUGARCREEK, Ohio (Mennonite Mission Network) – The people of Mpophomeni, South Africa, are as vibrant as the red radishes and orange sweet peppers in their bountiful gardens. But dig deeper, and one finds that each person living in the town of 35,000 is affected by HIV/AIDS.
“The environment is not gloomy and depressing, but is always upbeat and full of energy,” said Breanna Koehn, a Radical Journey participant who works at Masibumbane HIV/AIDS Mission, located in Mpophomeni. “I can hear [people] talking boisterously and laughing from the room next door,” she said.
Masibumbane cares for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the men, women, and children who have or have been affected by HIV/AIDS. They focus on three areas: medical attention, income generation, and youth work.
HIV/AIDS care program
The Masibumbane community started in 1999 to give medical attention to people who were dying from HIV/AIDS complications. However, when anti-retroviral medicine became available, Masibumbane shifted its focus to help HIV/AIDS survivors make the most of their new lease on life.
Growing gardeners

Masibumbane helps more than 40 people who are affected by HIV/AIDS to make a living. “Jobs are scarce for the people of Mpophomeni, especially those with little formal schooling or training,” and even more so for HIV/AIDS survivors, said Koehn.
“The gardens are just one way for the people to learn business through selling their vegetables and to make some income,” said Koehn, who is the income generation project manager at the nonprofit. She audits the projects’ income and expenses, and designs business plans for people to generate income. In addition to gardening, the people at Masibumbane also make a living by sewing, recycling, and caring for children.
Nokuthula Ndaba, Koehn’s supervisor, has been involved at Masibumbane for as long as she can remember, since her grandmother’s house was used as an office for the organization. Early on, Ndaba learned to crochet and sell bags as a way to pay for her schooling. This opened the door to work with youth at Masibumbane in their after-school program.
Tending young sprouts
Masibumbane makes sure that children’s needs are met, including counseling. Children can get assistance for school uniforms, tuition, and are provided a hot meal and tutoring after school. When children are on vacation, this branch of Masibumbane plans activities like Bible studies and games such as jump rope.
Now, Ndaba is the chief administrative worker at Masibumbane. Although she doesn’t have as much contact with children anymore, “she is constantly thinking of ideas to engage the children and get them excited about things like singing, reading, and Bible stories,” said Brianna Derstine, a Radical Journey alumna who worked with Ndaba from 2013-2014.
Ndaba says she enjoys “building new relationships and getting to share the love of God with [volunteers].”
As Koehn has gotten to know her co-workers, like Ndaba, “one thing I have learned is that there is always room to grow and learn.” Koehn’s co-workers are very willing to experiment with different ways of doing things. Their newest growing edge was offering a sewing class, where women could learn and sell their work. This willingness to grow is something that Koehn wants to incorporate into her own life.
Radical Journey, a Mennonite Mission Network service program, allows participants to live and serve internationally for a year. Participants have the chance to incorporate what they’ve learned during a one-month internship in their home communities. This takes place after a year of living and serving in an international location. For more information about 2015-2016 locations, visit Radical Journey’s webpage.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.