Why We Do What We Do

Watch The Video Below To Learn More About Neighbours Work... and How You Can Help.

The Branken family started Neighbours by saying, “We are a rather ordinary family doing some extraordinary things.” However, we believe as Christians that God is highly concerned with the brokenness in our city and nation and that He has called each of us to make a difference. To bring change, we need to see the future, prepare for the future and then become the future… in the words of Gandhi, “We must become the change we want to see in the world”.

     As an organisation, we want to see a world where the rich do not tolerate extreme poverty and inequality. We want to see many people laying down their lives of comfort and convenience to better the lives of others. Seeing people freed from poverty, inequality, racism, and exploitation is more important than fulfilling our lust for more things! We want to be part of a society in which people are valued more than things. We want to see the god of consumerism in South Africa bowing its knee to a love-motivated revolution which results in freedom from oppression and exploitation. We want to see this for everyone regardless of class, citizenship, race or religion. We dream of equality in every sector of society. If the education system is not OK for a rich kid, it is not for a poor kid.

      The same goes for healthcare, housing, and security. The same goes for rural kids and inner-city kids, and black and white kids. We are not more valuable than the least valued in our society. But, we are doing our lives in a new way. We will live our dream and see this reality briefly described above happening around us. We hope others will join us, which will occur around them too. Who knows, very soon, the world can be a different place!

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For us practically being a good neighbour can look very different each day.

• Some days we find ourselves helping a refugee friend gain access to the city’s health care facilities
• Other days can be spent sharing meals with homeless friends
• Sometime, and sadly way too often, we find ourselves consoling friends who have been hurt or abused or lost loved ones often as a result of uncaring and unjust systems.
• We also often get involved in advocacy standing with hurting and marginalised communities as they cry out for justice

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We also have more organised ways of being good neighbours, and this is done through the learning centre, which provides: 

• Homework assistance
• Music lessons
• A library of books, games and toys and
• Access to computers
• Daniel (then at aged 8) started a Lego club which helps kids dream and imagine different futures
• We have a soccer club with 4 teams – 2 girls and 2 boys team that has become a space of fun and friendship

These are just some of the ways that we have tried and are trying to become better neighbours and to create the better world we dream of as we seek to become a sign of hope.

​You can also use the following bank account to make a direct donation to support Neighbours. Please use your email address as the reference so that we can properly allocate your donation and send you a receipt.
  Account name:            Neighbours NPO
  Bank:                            Mercantile Bank
  Account Number:       105 079 7388
  Branch Code:               450105
  Swift Code:                   LISAJJZA
  Branch Address:          142 West Street, Merchantile, Lisborn                                                   House, 4th floor, Sandton
Reference for donation: Your email address​

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