CAST was born out of the community development programmes of three Baptist churches: Westville, KwaDabeka and Noodsberg. Over three decades, these churches had together developed partnerships with a number of schools, clinics and community-based organisations in poorer communities.
Through these partnerships, programmes to help the poor in these communities were already running when CAST was registered as an independent NPO in 2009 (and subsequently as a Trust in 2011). The existing programmes in the Durban Inner City, KwaDabeka, Cato Manor and Noodsberg were incorporated into the new organisation, which began to grow rapidly, expanding its scope of programmes and branching into new communities.
In 2010, the Masibambisane Center in Cato Manor was incorporated into CAST, followed in 2013 by Transformation Mariannridge (or RidgeCity) and then early in 2014, the outreach programmes of West City Fellowship in Chesterville. All these organisations brought experience, existing programmes, staff and valuable connections into the organisation.
Jean-Ray Knighton Fitt, former Pastor of Compassionate Ministries at Home Ground Westville Baptist Church, founded and served as Executive Director of CAST until 2020.
As we have adjusted the way we work, many of the projects we used to run in communities have come to a close over the last three years as we pass the baton to churches to own and run whatever projects they decide to. If a church so chooses, our commitment is to support this process through ‘Masihambisane’.
The final of these projects to come to a point of closure was our food parcel programme, which culminated, in its old format, at the end of 2024, after much processing and conversation with our partner churches. This, in no way, means that we will stop focusing on food security and the issue of hunger, which is a growing issue in many of the communities we work in. Projects which tackle this significant issue will very much be a part of what we do, IF a church desires to focus on this area of work. The major shift here is that these projects will be initiated and managed by churches, with the SUPPORT of CAST and the Alliance, rather than being a CAST project.
We are so very grateful to our donors for their years of generosity towards our food parcel programme at CAST. Without their support, we would never have been able to have the reach and impact that we had. Since 2017, we have distributed 23 728 food parcels, impacting 105 412 people in 14 different communities.
LEGAL STATUS
CAST is a registered Trust IT No. 986/2011/PMB. It is also registered with the Department of Social Services as a non-profit organisation: 085-077 NPO, and with SARS as a Public Benefit Organisation under Section 30 of the Income Tax Act. Donations made to the organisation are tax deductible under Section 18A (1)(a) of the Income Tax Act.