Key Ministry International Church
Key Ministry International Church in Pietermaritzburg is committed to sharing God’s love and responding to the many spiritual, social and economic challenges faced by refugees, who are mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. Key Ministry helps refugees with immediate needs, but ultimately promotes self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
It was founded by Rev. Samson Matabaro, who is himself a refugee from Burundi. As refugees, his family moved from country to country to flee for their lives. Even when they eventually found a home in South Africa, life seemed impossible. His daughter, Lidia, remembers what it was like to go hungry every day and to wear plastic bags on her feet. Yet they saw God do amazing things, and now Key Ministry is helping people in the same situation.
Bishop Samson Matabaro is the Project Leader
When Ibrahim David joined Back to School he was a refugee, unschooled and just learning English. Within a few years he became Head Boy and now years later he is full of confidence and has achieved well at school. He has always dreamed of being a doctor and now he has a full scholarship at university in America to study Neuroscience! He made E3 as update video!
Back to School is about holistic support – the gift of uniform and shoes, Life Skills, Support Groups, counselling and mentoring all contribute to rewriting a child’s story.
Click to play video
E3 is partnering in:
Microfinance groups so around 40 refugees and South Africans living in poverty can set up small businesses and afford to put food on the table, send their children to school and pay medical bills.
Supporting 150 children through Back to School, which includes Life Skills and a Girls’ Support Group. The children are even more eager to engage with the Life Skills sessions – they have realised its value since the challenges of COVID-19 lockdown.
Hosting workshops on xenophobia and sexual and gender-based violence with church pastors and community leaders.
Funding Pastor Samson’s visits to 156 refugee families each year, to give spiritual support, counselling and help with renewing refugee documents and small business plans.
Grant from E3: £10,000
The girls are gaining more confidence to talk about their lives in a safe space at the support group. They are so comfortable with each other that they share even the most private of personal difficulties and they have become friends. They have also taken the initiative to suggest appropriate topics and even facilitate while we supervise. They've demonstrated a lot of growth and leadership potential, as well as a desire to learn more.
