The Missionaries of Africa

CORDIS - stands for "Christian OutReach Done In Solidarity"

The Apartheid regime ended in 1994. Freedom and Respect was won for all South-Africans. In the years that followed, millions left the homelands where they were confined, the white owned farms where they were working and flocked to the cities in search of jobs and a better life.

Townships, Informal settlements, squatter camps mushroomed rapidly all around Johannesburg. In one of these, called Orange Farm, (400,000 people) the Missionaries of Africa were asked to start a parish. We soon realised that to preach a gospel of Love demanded of us that we give clear signs of the Church's concern for those in need of jobs, the youth without formation and the sick.

CORDIS is one of these signs: It is a job creation project where 20 to 30 jobless residents find employment since 2001 when the project was started.

Carpenters, Welders, Brickmakers busy themselves 5 days a weak to earn a modest salary.

As Cordis is situated on a farm on the edge of the township, 4 ha of arable land have been turned into 20 vegetable gardens where township residents, mostly women, grow their own food for their family. Irrigation is provided freely by the project.

Small as we are, we believe that Cordis gives hope to many.

Click here to see photos of the CORDIS Project

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