Tumelong:About Us
The Rt Rev'd, Dr Jo Seoka
Chairman of the Governing Body
The Right Rev'd Dr Jo Seoka (Bishop of Pretoria) brings to the faith community a versatile background that combines a deep love for the church and its mission to the whole world that is evident in his urban and industrial mission work over the years. His priestly character finds its expression in his strong sense of Afro-Anglican spirituality. Since his student days, he continues to be committed to socio-economic justice that seeks to draw closer those who are marginalized and disadvantaged without neglecting the rest of the believers, and helps Southern African communities manage transformation while caring for people within and outside the Church.
Kebalepile Bontle Matlhako
Director of Programmes
Kebalepile Bontle Matlhako (Keba) combines project management, strategic planning and organisational development skills to a development and welfare sphere. With a background in Engineering, Consultation and Sales, he introduces a cooperate professionalism in the casual Social Development and Welfare industry. Backed by his developmental approach and training and facilitation skills in Gender, HIV and AIDS, Youth Development, Poverty Eradication, Monitoring and Evaluation and Business Management, he approaches development in a product life cycle format of entry, development, maturity, and exit. His Philosophy of Asset Based Community Development backed by a minimum exposure to Theology makes him to be driven to a people oriented economic and social liberation
Who We Are...
THE VISION
We the Tumelong Mission as a Mission and Development Programme, Diocese of Pretoria, are committed to: Creating a healthy sustainable society, free from HIV and Aids, and being developed towards eradicating poverty.
MISSION
Tumelong aims to build a self-sustainable quality of life through the fostering of self-respect, self-discipline and learning among all, especially the young, needy and vulnerable to overcome hunger, poverty and unemployment.
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Social development approach uniquely integrates economic and social objectives. It not only recognizes the critical importance of economic and social development in raising standards of living but actively seeks to harness economic development for social goals. (Service Delivery Model: Department of Social Development 2004)
What We Do...
Our work is driven to address the Millennium Development Goals related to our geographical areas of operation. HIV, Access to education, sanitation, hunger, basic education and gender related issues remain as our priorities, particularly in those areas that are remote and often not reached by government services.
The approach to our work is based on making a meaningful impact in the highlighted areas of concern at a national and local level. Our focus areas and components were structured around identified gaps in order to:
- Reduce the number of new infections, through positive peer pressure, people knowing their HIV status and empowerment of women to make decision for their own well being.
- Empower people to use land for crop production, developing their skills to produce goods that will realise income and increase their chances of being employable.
- Provide material support towards the immediate needs of the poor, elderly, orphans and vulnerable children, and to assist the children with their early childhood development and well being.
In our work, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting forms part of our existence, and we have well developed tools to ensure that the quality of information provided can be used for responsible decision making.
The Journey...
Tumelong Mission is a non profit, Public Benefit organisation focusing on mission and community development. Tumelong mission was established in 1939 as a mission and development wing of the Diocese of Pretoria to focus on the actual needs of the people and to provide material support to those in need. It was started in Lady Selbourne and focused on the needs of people in the Garankuwa, Hammanskraal, Winterveldt, Soshanguve and Mabopane areas serving all people regardless of religion, race or creed.
The area of service covered by Tumelong Mission is limited to the geographic area of the Diocese of Pretoria. The areas starting from Centurion, Oliewenhoutbosch, in the south moving to the just below Warmbad( Bela bela) in the north. From the far east, it covers areas from Zithobeni, Culllinan, Ekangala areas and moving towards the margins of Swartruggens. The areas in between also are the serviced by Tumelong mission.
The Missions work reaches over 109 communities within the Diocese of Pretoria, the areas fall within the following municipalities: Tshwane Metropolitan municipality, in the Gauteng Province; The others are Moretele, Madibeng , Rustenburg, Moses Kotane, Kgetleng Municipalities and Royal Bafokeng Nation, in the North West Province; it also covers parts of Thembisile Hani and Dr J S Moroka Minicipalities in the Nkangala District of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
Tumelong Mission over the years developed into covering areas of Abuse, Orphans and Vulnerable Children(havens), Youth At Risk, Care and Relief, Nutrition, AIDS Awareness, Hospice and Home Based Care. Due to the financial limitations, Tumelong was forced to move away from capital intensive projects like Hospice and Nutrition and to focus on those that provide development, care and relief, particularly to the poor, orphans and HIV infected and affected.
The Missions core business is to develop people so that the can have sustainable livelihoods, this include eradication of poverty, and prevention of circumstances that will hinder that. Our secondary business is to provide care and relief so that development can take place in a stable social environment. We provide our services through the following key focus areas: HIV and Aids, Capacity Building and, Care and Relief.