Country Profile

Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia) CRWRC has been working in Southern Africa since 1999. This ministry is carried out in close partnership with Partners Worldwide, the Reformed Church of America, and the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa. Together, this partnership focuses on economic development, leadership development, stewardship, and overcoming HIV/AIDS. South Africa is also the home of Mbonambi Khuzwayo, CRWRC’s Justice and Service Learning Coordinator for the East & South Africa region.

Fast Facts

Population: 43,997,828 (July 2007 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Literacy Rate: 86.4%
Life Expectancy: 42.45 years
Population below the poverty line: 50%
Gross domestic product per capita: $13,300 (2006 est.)
Religions: Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)
Languages: IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2%

(From the World Factbook. Click here for more information on South Africa.)

Partners

CRWRC has two major partners in South Africa:

Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa (URSCA)
CRWRC’s overall implementing partner in Southern Africa is the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa (URSCA). URSCA has 758 congregations organized in seven regional synods. Many congregations have 10 or more preaching branches. The diaconal committees in congregations are the ones who carry out CRWRC-funded programs.

CRWRC works with seven regional synods to assist with training, networking, and access to resources. We help these synods identify local champions for development, and build up their leadership skills. This, in turn, helps churches grow in their ability to reach out and meet the needs of people in their communities.

CRWRC also helps churches hold workshops on stewardship development. As a result of the workshops, action plans are developed. Increased stewardship, in turn, leads to increased resources for development programs.

Partners Worldwide
CRWRC and Partners Worldwide work together to address the severe unemployment and underemployment of Southern Africa. Economic development is addressed in two ways. First, through a program called Investment for Africa(IFA). IFA provides loans to emerging entrepreneurs as well as mutual mentoring, networking, and support. An emerging program for even smaller loans is a saving program for small business owners. Secondly, CRWRC and PWW provide a week-long Micro-MBA program to small business owners. This course teaches the essentials of business-planning, market research, pricing, and managing one’s business.

Staff in South Africa

CRWRC’s staff position in Southern Africa is currently vacant. The interim contact is Carl Swart of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa.
Email: cjswart@kaapkerk.co.za

Rev. Mbonambi Khuzwayo serves as CRWRC's Justice Education and Service Learning Coordinator for the East and South Africa region. He has a B.A. in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies as well as a Diploma in Theology. He is married and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren.
Email: mkhuzwayo@telkomsa.net

CRWRC-South Africa
P.O. Box 33
Silverton, 0127
South Africa

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