Prudhoe Methodist Church celebrates 20 years of charity

Hope for South Africa’s Children, alongside Prudhoe Methodist Church, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a supper attended by over 90 supporters and friends.

The event, which featured a traditional South African meal, raised £1,366.

The charity was established in 2004 by David and Glen Smith to support Rehoboth Children’s Village, which they helped set up in 2001.

The village, located outside Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, was founded to help children dying of HIV/AIDS in hospitals.

David and Glen, newly retired at the time, felt called to mission work and committed six months to help start the village.

They purchased a 22-acre smallholding, funded by family and friends, with a plan to build small homes for four children and a Zulu housemother as funds allowed.

The charity was established in 2004 (Image: Supplied) Despite the pandemic preventing their travel since 2020, the couple have maintained contact with the projects via Zoom.

Today, the village has around 20 houses and accommodates up to 80 children.

However, thanks to the availability of antiretrovirals, the children are no longer dying as before.

The charity, which was initially set up to support the village with a sponsorship programme, has diversified over the years.

It now supports various projects in the rural area around Port Shepstone, including rural food programmes, education and training for crèches, a school for children with special educational needs, and support for children leaving the village.

The charity continues to raise between £40,000 and £50,000 yearly and is on course to reach £1million in the next year.