Achievements

SOME MERCY HOUSE ACHIEVEMENTS

 

1. When Mercy House opened in 1996, it accommodated 5 Ethiopian doctors who were totally stranded at the time, as they did not have registration with the SA medical council. It took us 2 years to persuade the SA Medical Council to set an exam and register them. They wrote it and all of them are happily working as doctors now.

2. Through the support of the Comboni Missionaries and mediation of Mercy House, we have assisted 2 young men, Sudanese Emmanuel and Angolan Martin, to get through the SA University Medical training. They are now not only qualified doctors but have both specialised, the former as a specialist physician and the latter as a gynaecologist. Sudanese Pasquale did a degree in Medical Technology at Wits University and is now working in Australia. Burundian Shadadi, qualified at Wits Medical School as a Clinical Medical Practitioner, is working in a hospital. Sudanese orphan Felix, having completed his degree and honours followed up with a doctorate in Medical Research, whilst working at the Johannesburg General Hospital.

3. We have assisted in getting bursaries for 8 refugees to do a Bachelor Degree in Education at KZN College in Kwazulu and Jean Chrysostom to complete a degree in law.

4. We have managed to get bursaries for 4 young men to do degrees in electrical engineering, all of whom are already working and another, Robert, whom we put into school, with a degree in chemical engineering. We assisted a further 4 young men to obtain diplomas in engineering at local Technical Colleges.  Several have also done diplomas courses in information technology and Grace did office administration.

5. We have assisted a large number of refugees to open their own businesses. For example, we assisted Papi to set up an Internet Café, called Papinet, another refugee with a peanut business, a tailor with an industrial machine, a baker with equipment etc.

6. We managed to get bursaries for two young Sudanese to do a 2-year course in accounting. They have since turned to Sudan where they have got jobs using their expertise.

7. Two young men trained as home nurses whilst two others completed the 4 year nurses’ training at Netcare and are working in Netcare hospitals. Another one is still in training.

8. Several of our young people enrolled to do a film-making course.

9. Over the 20 years of our existence, we have enabled countless people to get employment, quite an achievement in a country where the unemployment is very high and where there is also a lot of xenophobia.

10. Having put Zeng through school, he subsequently did 2 courses in Multimedia and was offered employment immediately on qualifying. He also does our website.

11. Kenny was sponsored by one of our most generous supporters to do, first a degree in journalism and then another in law at wits University.

12. In 2017 we assisted one of our residents obtain a diploma as a Fibre Optic Technician.

13. Over the years since we started our Mercy work in1994, we have helped countless young people with their schooling. In 2017, as many as 20 scholars – in addition to 11 with tertiary studies.

BUT THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT BY FAR

has been the healing and transformation that we see. Young people come to us, desperate, their lives in tatters, and through creating a family atmosphere (which, mostly, they have sadly missed) and through the healing power of unconditional love; they really do become new human beings! The message is quite clear: no amount of counselling, psychotherapy etc., is as powerful as the healing power of love. This is what has made Mercy House so successful and God is with us!