Partnering with us: Neighbours is a Non-profit organisation that was started in 2012 when the Branken family moved into Hillbrow to stand in solidarity as neighbours to those most marginalised in South Africa. The phrase they try to live out is “we are becoming good friends to our neighbours and then good neighbours to our friends”.

1.  We want to be a personal prophetic witness to the church and will do this by

1. Relocation – we are moving our work from Hillbrow to the Melrose/ Bramley/ Alexandra area so that we can be a bridge and an “in-between” space with divergent and separated communities. We still believe that it is key to build equal loving relationships across class, race, national and other barriers. Loving our neighbour starts with knowing our neighbour.
2. Demonstration though our family :

• Personal resilience to climate change -  through working on personal and community food security and off the grid solutions
• Personal protest and activism - as a regular rhythm of life as we fight to build movements and enhance citizen power towards a new world
• Personal solidarity – “becoming good friends to our neighbours and good neighbours to our friends”. We will continue to stand with our friends.
• Living simply and sharing our lives and resources – we want to move from charity to community and justice at various levels
• Social enterprises - Implementing alternative imaginations in our personal economies by and with our neighbours Music School, Art Business and other income generation)

2.  We want to help the church to “love mercy, walk humbly and act justly” (Micah 6:8).

1. In the local church – we believe that “each one should use whatever gift to serve others faithfully administering the grace of God in it’s various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). In our local church we will serve in the following areas:

• Ngecala lakho (By your side) – we will lead the Melrose Church NGO in its work with refugees and non nationals, the LGBTQI community, displaced persons, and other marginalised communities
• Children’s ministry pastors – we will support  children and their families in the community. We want to help enlarge the children’s ministry to a more outward focus on vulnerable children in the community.
• General service - We will serve in other areas where we have skills and time e.g. worship team, social media etc)

3.  In the wider church

• Supporting churches and ministries in Johannesburg, South Africa and beyond – we will be involved in Mentoring/ Coaching/ Speaking and through writing and social media to helping leaders and congregations journey towards an integral gospel proclamation and living justly.
• We will focus on the following messages for 2020: Living wage, Climate change, Citizen power and movement building, Radical inclusion, LGBTQI justice, Racial and gender justice, and Integral gospel proclamation

We would love to co-conspire with you and demonstrate and a new, just, kinder world is indeed possible because it is being lived out around us. You can also partner with our many new and exciting ventures with the Hillbrow community in 2019.

​Send us an email (nigel@neighbours.org.za) if you would like to volunteer or have items that may assist us. Let us know if you would like to be added to our mailing list to keep up to date with our work.

Helping with practical items: Here is a list of practical items we are in need of...

Work with the homeless/ displaced/ families in need

• Blankets - large blankets are always more useful than small ones
• First aid kit supplies (particularly for dressing wounds)
• Soup kitchen consumables (polystyrene cups, plastics spoons)
• Toiletry packs for men and women
• Clothing items (Warm jackets, socks and shoes are always helpful)
• Non perishable food items

Soccer Club (2 boys team and a girls team)

• It would be great to get a company to sponsor the team with kits
• On an ongoing basis, the team needs
  • Soccer balls
  • Transport to games (looking for a group to volunteer once a month on a Saturday morning to help)
  • Monthly supply of ePap/other easy to make nutritious food - for the children at the learning centre

Please contact Trish at trish@transforming.org.za or on WhatsApp at 062 546 9913 or click on the button below if you are able to help with any of the above

Connect with us

Donate to Neighbours

Neighbours Bank Account Details:      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.

You may want to make a contribution to Nigel and Trish Branken directly and can do so by making a deposit into their personal account. Here are the details:

Nigel and Trish Branken Account Details
​Account Name:      NK Branken
Bank:                       Capitec
Branch Code:         470010
Account Number: 1265801868
Account Type:       Savings Account

Thank you for all your support,
Nigel and Trish Branken.