​​Abongile Menye

Nofezile Special Care Centre started in the backyard of Abongile Menye near Qonce ( formerly King Williams Town) in the Eastern Cape. She was taking care of one of her siblings with intellectual disabilities in a small room, then other parents became interested, and she ended up taking care of seven children with special needs. She then went to the chief of the village and was given a building.

She received some funding from the National Lotteries Commission for building residential facilities, and is still hoping to get more help so that Nofezile, which she directs — and which now has 45 children — can expand.

The special care centre provides jobs for 12 members of the community, who with the help of volunteers, tend a few hectares of land on which cabbages, green peppers, tomatoes and spinach are grown, creating food security for the community.

In addition to providing education, care and warm meals, Abongile helps her children with applications so they can attend tertiary institutions. She also helps people who have been victims of gender-based violence, and works as a peace actor for Women’s Election Mechanism for Peace, which seeks to promote women’s participation in peaceful elections by training peace actors in conflict analysis and management techniques.

The name of the organisation at which you work

Nofezile Special Care Centre

Your educational background, listing your qualifications and institutions, if any:

• Grade 12
• Human Resource Management course

Your greatest achievement

We managed to build a centre for disabled children.

Please give us a motivational quote that inspires you

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” — Abraham Lincoln