Church stokvel ensures food for festive season

For nine years from 2008, the New Jerusalem Angels of God church members would contribute R20 every month towards a year-end function.

They would take these contributions and buy food, cook and have a party at the church in Bophelong, near Vanderbijlpark, in the Vaal.

But in 2017, soon after the function, several members ran to church founder Simon Thabethe because they did not have any food at home.

This hit Thabethe so hard that he thought there could be something they can do as church members to make sure they have food throughout the festive season.

Thabethe then started a grocery stokvel — Masibonisane Stokvel — and each person contributed R150 for 12 months and in mid-December, they would buy groceries in bulk and share among themselves.

“It was a huge problem as members would come to me because they do not have any food. I then formed the stokvel in the church. We made sure to get to know each other and we found out what each member likes to avoid buying foodstuffs that our members don’t eat.

“This prevented us from buying maas (sour milk) for someone who doesn’t like it and wanted milk. The first year (2018) we did it, we shared the groceries before December 16 and went home without worrying about people going hungry,” Thabethe said.

He said the stokvel grew bigger until the pandemic hit, which led to some members not being able to make contribution.

The stokvel currently has about 30 members and until 2022, they each contributed R300 every month.

“At the end of the year, each person would have R3,600. We have had some members who are not able to keep up with the monthly contributions. We have not shut them out. We accommodate them.

“What we do is we check how much someone has been able to contribute throughout the year. We then take those members and group them together. We ask them what food stuffs they would like and we prioritise getting it for them.

“This we did as the pandemic brought so much distress for people and many are still trying to pick up the pieces. We cannot shut those people out,” Thabethe said.

He said contributions have been increased to R360 for 2023.

“Since the stokvel started, we have not had the year-end function and I wanted us to bring it back.

“So, this year we will have the year-end function and share groceries. From the R360 contribution, R300 will be for the grocery stokvel, R20 for the year-end function and R40 will go towards buying gifts for children in the church.

“The gifts will make the children feel extra special. We also run a library and have the community and church members come to borrow book and return them.”

Thabethe said his dream is to see the stokvel grow.

“The only members we have are from the church. I would like to get members in the community so that we can grow it and do so much more in our area.”

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mashabas@sowetan.co.za