Since partnering with three churches in the Ilembe district over the past 40 years, CAST has established a community centre at the Appelsbosch Baptist Community Church as a base for facilitating Relief Services, Education and Child Development programmes, Sport & Youth Development as well as Local Economic Development.

The annual Children’s Holiday Club has had a great impact in this community with more than 81 children attending Sunday school following the holidays, many of whom have come to understand and realise who Christ is.

ABCC, in partnership with CAST, has established an under 15 boys soccer team, with the aim of winning the souls of young people to Christ through sport.

CAST has also developed a partnership with uMjele High school where tutoring for Mathematics and Physical Science is facilitated by the Appelsbosch Community Co-ordinator together with volunteers.

Drug abuse and crime are the main problems this community faces. Although some families are able to support themselves through subsistence farming, this community has an unemployment rate of 48%, with 22,3% having had no formal education.

To alleviate this, CAST has formed a partnership with the local ward councillor who has assisted in recruiting unemployed members of the community to attend the Business Experience Course facilitated by CAST.

Many of those whose lives have been transformed have come back to the church to share their testimonies on how they have been impacted by these programmes.