Isabel van den Berg

Isabel van den Berg, one of our directors and a Sythologist by profession, is one of the most caring people that I have ever met in my life. Since 1987, she has been operating a “Care for the needy” programme in Polokwane. There is not one needy family in Polokwane who does not know Aunty Isabel.

Since a young age, God has given her the ministry of caring for those living on the outskirts of society, reaching out to them in every way possible.

About Polokwane Manna Project

The Polokwane Manna Project is primarily supported by a few churches in town. The project primarily takes care of elderly people and families where the parents have not completed their schooling, resulting in very low-income jobs. Most of these families stay in small rooms or garages. Currently, we take care of about 220 families, which consist out of about 450 people of which 120 are children under the age of 16.

The budget of R22,000-00 that Isabel has for the monthly food purchases really needs to be stretched to provide the families with just the necessary basic groceries. Every month the need increases and the cost-of-living rises, which really leaves us with a burden….

Apart from the food parcels, Isabel also goes out of her way to assist the families with medical attention, finding jobs, providing second hand clothing, and even a place to lay down their heads for the night. Many of these needy people have been given a bed to sleep on in her Wendy homes in her back yard for a night or two.

Whenever I think of Isabel, the quote of John Wesley comes to mind – “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can”.

Any kind of support or donations will be highly appreciated.