Mid-term evaluation CYDEP program: promising!
5 November 2024Excitement as HMC’s CYDEP Program Kicks Off for 2025
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
The 2025 Christian Youth Development & Empowerment Program (CYDEP) is well underway in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. HMC welcomed 35 participants from Cameroon, Congo, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa to its 2025 program. During this year these young people (mostly in their early 20s) can look forward to a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they live together, work together, study together and get to know each other as they grow in their faith.
The participants come from diverse cultural backgrounds, ranging from bustling harbour cities to quiet rural farmlands. Despite many facing significant financial hardships, they share a common bond in their faith and longing for spiritual growth.
As in previous years, participants are accommodated at the church property of BCC South Africa. Here they are welcomed into an active church environment that includes Bible studies, activities for children and youth, volunteer work, camps and conferences.
The key elements of the CYDEP year are:
- In-service training where participants will receive vocational skills and an opportunity to develop soft skills.
- Formal academic training with short courses in Small Business & Entrepreneurship at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT)
- Structured English and computer literacy courses provided by BCCSA volunteers in collaboration with SCC Services.
- A rich church life, including mentoring & targeted bible studies, as well as an active church program at BCC South Africa.
HMC’s CYDEP includes full board and lodging for participants. All travel related costs for participants outside of South Africa have been made possible by HMC’s Christian Travel Program.
HMC would like to express its thanks to its local partners, in particular SCC Services, BCCSA, as well as the various companies who have taken individuals in for in-service training and the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) for the formal certified academic training they provide.
It is our wish that participants use the opportunities made available to them to maximise what they get out of their time, that they learn valuable skills that can help them to get meaningful employment or create work opportunities for when they travel back, and importantly learn and grow in their Christian journey.
