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Partnering with us

Since moving to Hillbrow in May 2012, we have a real deepening vision of transformation in our city, but recognize that achieving this requires prayer, volunteers, and financial partners. Here is a bit more detail about the journey and how you can help:

Neighbours (formerly Transform) is an NGO which was started by Nigel and Trish Branken to support and facilitate their work of community transformation in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa. The people who work at Neighbours have fully submersed themselves into this dream by moving into the community and standing in solidarity with those who live their. Nigel and Trish Branken, who lead Neighbours moved in in May 2012 after recognizing the challenges of extreme poverty and inequality faced in South Africa. They wanted to model a counter cultural lifestyle and become a sign of hope of what South Africa could be like. They formed an intentional community of people who have relocated to Hillbrow, remained in Hillbrow and returned to Hillbrow as well as consisting of several volunteers with the primary purpose of “becoming friends to our neighbours and good neighbours to our friends”. They also seek to be a bridge to heal the divides in their city bringing together people across racial, economic, class and even national lines. As a community they keep asking the question – “What is a good neighbour?”

This can look very different every day. On some days it is helping out some children with homework at their learning center, on another day it is visiting homeless friends, ensuring they get access to city clinics or sharing a meal with them; it can include simply sharing meals and having fun with many of their friends who beg for a living, or advocating for the rights of foreigners and refugees; on another day it can be some non-violent protest about an issue affecting their community. They have also established a reconciliation center where weekly community and reconciliation meetings are held and transformative conversations take place.

Recognizing that our dreams will never be achieved without people who will partner with us, we need help. We need people who will partner with us in prayer, by volunteering and by supporting us financially.
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If you would like to partner with us in prayer or by volunteering, please contact us via the form on this website. Please will you also consider supporting us monthly financially. You are also welcome to make once off donations should you not be able to make a regular commitment. Would you also please pray that God would provide all we need to make the vision real.

Helping with practical items

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

For the Computer Classes and Computer per household
  • We are always looking for computers to give out to our neighbours, so if you have computers that you no longer need (not e-waste) that would really help
Learning Centre
  • We have an ongoing need for - stationery (paper, pens and pencils, rubbers, crayons,whiteboard pens, waxies etc), children’s books, art material (paints and paint brushes)
  • We want to replace our 4 year old (and well used) puzzles (9 to 100 piece max) and children’s games
  • Toys for 3 to 5 year old children that are in good condition
  • Bats and balls
  • Shelving/ bookshelves for the library - we need to change the current system we are using to cater for more
  • 20-30 Stack-able Chairs for events
  • 2 fold up tables
  • Microwave and kettle
  • ePap/ other easy to make nutricous food - monthly supply - we would love to give out ePap daily at our learning centre to the children
Hospitality Flat
  • We need a few single mattresses
  • We need a new stove/ oven combo
  • Wardrobes for two rooms
  • washing machine and tumble dryer
Work with the homeless
  • 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)
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 (it would be great to have a group of friends volunteer once a month on a saturday morning to help out with this)
    • ePap/ other easy to make nutricous food - monthly supply - we would love to give out ePap daily at our learning centre to the children
Lego Club
  • About 20 Matching see through 15-20 litre containers for lego
  • 4 Pop up tents with built in groundsheet (to contain lego in the tent - we normally pop up a tent and put a box of lego inside)
Music Club
  • New or used Recorders
  • 3 music stands
  • Whiteboard markers
  • Music books (for beginners and intermediate - especially for recorder)
For Nigel and Trish Personally
  • Washing machine and tumble dryer (for Nigel and Trish personally - their 10 year old LG washer/ dryer recently broke down)
  • Two wardrobes/ Large bookshelves
Please contact Trish at trish@transforming.org.za or on whatsapp at 083 499 6073 or click on the button below if you are able to help with any of the above
Connect with us
Donate

Contribute

Neighbours is a voluntary association under the Non-profit Organisations act (71 of 1997). Our funds are administered through a service level agreement with the James 1:27 Trust. The Trust provides
  • Payment governance and processing;
  • Donations receipting and issuing of tax certificates in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act of 1962;
  • The provision and auditing of a trust account on behalf of Neighbours
This ensures that all monies received and spent follow sound financial management practices. Your full contribution goes towards Neighbours and the work that they do.
​
You can make a contribution through the James 1:27 Trust payment gateway

James 1:27 Trust Payment Gateway
or make a deposit into our account:
​
Neighbours Bank Account Details:                                                                          
Account Name: James 1:27 Trust
Reference for Donation: Your Email
ABSA Bank
Brooklyn
Branch code: 632005
Account number: 9310110831
SWIFT address: ABSAZAJJ


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
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Account Name: NK Branken
Bank: ABSA Bank
Branch: Centurion
Branch Code: 632005
Account Number: 4056870657
Account Type: Cheque Account

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

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