In Community by community – ICBC projects

ICBC, an acronym for In Community By Community, was birthed out of an effort to stand against the mind-set of dependency upon churches and aid organisations. At its heart is the desire for church and ministry plants to be established IN the rural areas BY the people that live there. We have seen how establishing a church plant alongside a local Pastor, with a heart after God and a love for his people, is gradually giving those rural villages, much-needed hope for a sustainable future. CMS has a vision to see 60 ICBCs planted throughout Eswatini. The ICBC vision seeks to serve those most in need, in the most deprived areas of Eswatini bringing healthcare, education and assistance to their community.

ICBC sites

Challenge Ministries Swaziland started in 1997 at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis when Kevin & Helen Ward were troubled by the increasing number of street children in the nation’s capital city. Together they opened a coffee shop drop-in centre called “The Lighthouse”. It was a refuge of safety for those on the street; however, it was soon evident that feeding and clothing these vulnerable children was not enough. While they hoped that many of the children they encountered could be reunited with their families, they soon found that those families no longer existed, or that the family homes were not safe. Most of the children had experienced abuse while living on the street and all had experienced rejection. CMS has since grown to focus on caring for orphans, vulnerable children and rehabilitating people with life controlling habits or those having escaped from domestic violence.