By equipping 120 local jobseekers with paid work and skills to revitalise their neighbourhoods, Love Umngeni is proving that when a community unites around shared hope, everyday efforts can build brighter, more stable futures for everyone.
Howick, South Africa (10 November 2026) – At its core, Love Umngeni is a community-driven initiative passionate about creating positive change by bringing people together, fostering collaboration, and driving impactful transformation.
One of the many ways it achieves this is through the recent launch of its Social Employment Fund Programme (SEF), which created 120 new learnership opportunities.
The year-long community and economic development initiative operates across Howick, Mpophomeni, Hilton, and Lions River and through it, 120 previously unemployed individuals have moved beyond survival mode and are now being empowered with skills training and meaningful work to help them step into brighter, more stable futures.
Participants have been hard at work tackling waste clean-ups in the CBD, maintaining parks through brush cutting, repairing pillars, and improving public spaces. Not only is the community looking cleaner and more beautiful with each completed project, but these efforts demonstrate what can be achieved when partners unite around a shared vision.
Through collaboration, Love Umngeni is creating opportunities for skills development, business support, online learning, and paid work, while contributing to a cleaner, greener, and more thriving region.
“This is proof that when we work together, we can achieve so much more! But we can’t do it alone. We are still looking for sponsorships and donations to help equip, train, and support our learners, turning these opportunities into lasting community impact,” the organisation said.
The SEF programme covers stipends and core operations, but community support is needed for extra supplies. To continue this vital work, Love Umngeni is appealing for financial sponsorships, equipment, and essential supplies, including:
- Gloves and masks
- Refuse bags and cleaning supplies
- Seedlings
- Spades and wheelbarrows
- Fuel
- Good-quality PCs and paper for learning
Donations can be dropped off at 19 Morling Street, Howick. Every donation helps create an opportunity; every opportunity helps build a future.
Sources: Love Umngeni
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