Emoyeni Ministries South Africa
A crowd of young people gathered outdoors at sunset in eManzana, South Africa

Emoyeni Ministries South Africa

Help Hope Grow in South Africa

Christ-centered. Locally led. Changing lives.

Give Now Our Story

Who we are

Serving vulnerable children in eManzana since 2002

Our Purpose

Why we exist

We believe every child bears the image of God and should have the opportunity to be known, protected, nurtured, and given hope for the future.

Our Mission

What we are called to do

Emoyeni exists to provide Christ-centered, locally led solutions that strengthen and protect South Africa’s vulnerable children.

Our Vision

What we hope to see

Vulnerable children flourishing in strong families and communities, supported by local Christian leaders who know them, love them, and remain with them.

300+children each week in three Kids’ Clubs
18local team: 11 youth workers, 7 staff
50 acresEmoyeni Farm, youth camp and orchard
$0debt — gifts go to ministry

How we work

Local hands, lasting care

Emoyeni began in October 2002 as a small response to the orphan crisis in rural Mpumalanga. Long-term missionaries, staff, interns and volunteers built important foundations — but permanent outside control was never the objective.

Today the ministry is led from eManzana (formerly Badplaas) by Pastor Selby and Goodness Hlengwa, with camps, discipleship, family assistance and community outreach running from the Emoyeni Farm.

Emoyeni’s local youth workers in red shirts, smiling and waving
Local leadership

We equip and employ local people to identify needs, build relationships, and lead ministry within their own communities.

Christ-centered discipleship

Sustained relationships through which children and young people can encounter Christ, grow in faith, and develop character, confidence, and purpose.

Practical care

We strengthen families, provide appropriate assistance, and connect children and families with available resources and support.

Sustainable partnership

We work with churches, community leaders, ministries, volunteers, and international partners on solutions that endure beyond any one project, team, or individual.

What we do

Ministry to children, youth and families

Children playing a game together at an outdoor Kids’ Club

Kids’ Clubs

More than 300 children each week at three sites and growing — games, snacks, prayer and Bible-based devotions, led by our local youth workers.

Children seated on the floor of the camp hall during a youth camp session

Youth Camps

Safe, exciting and fun camps at the Emoyeni Farm with accessible, Christ-centered leaders, plenty of good food, and a social worker, nurse and trauma counseling available.

Stylized teal rendering of schoolchildren gathered together, faces simplified to protect their identities

Christmas Outreach

A December camp and Christmas celebration for 300+ children, with food, fun, transportation and gifts.

Rendered from our October 2026 photo and altered to protect the children’s identities.

We also serve local schools, run soccer clinics, teach at Immanuel Bible College, and celebrate alongside local churches across the eManzana community.

Thulani smiling as he helps build the new house at Emoyeni Farm
Thulani today, helping build the new house at Emoyeni Farm

Real lives, lasting impact

It started with a soccer ball.

In 2006, Thulani was one of 11 street kids being raised by Mama Esther in a house Emoyeni built. He says his life changed the day an Emoyeni volunteer gave him a soccer ball. It was then, he tells us, that he discovered for the first time that Jesus cared about him.

Today Thulani is married and works for a partner ministry. He and his wife are raising six children, some whose stories are not altogether unlike his own.

Emoyeni Farm

A 50-acre home base for the ministry

The farm hosts our youth camps and visiting teams, grows food for families in need, and runs a macadamia orchard that provides supplemental income, jobs and agricultural training for local residents.

Thatched-roof building beneath trees at Emoyeni Farm with mountains behind Farm buildings in golden evening light Green farm barn with a red door at Emoyeni Farm Newly built two-story house on stilts at Emoyeni Farm with a mountain behind
Macadamia orchard

About 1,200 trees producing nearly 10 tons of nuts at harvest.

Feeding the hungry

Potatoes, squash, corn, spinach and tomatoes grown for local distribution.

Youth camp

Accommodation for about 40 children, a recreation hall, kitchen and sports field.

Jobs & training

Full-time staff, seasonal labor and skills training for members of the community.

Work that lasts

Still bearing fruit today

  • Four homes built for vulnerable families remain owned and occupied by the original beneficiaries.
  • The AFM church and community center built by Emoyeni remains fully operational under Pastor Selby’s leadership.
  • Three day-care centers established with Emoyeni’s help became independent.
  • The Mooiplaas and Edwaleni centers were donated to partner ministries; both remain fully functional.
  • About 12 medical, dental and vision clinics treated an estimated 12,000 patients.
  • At the height of the feeding ministry, eight sites served more than 1,300 children each day.

Our leaders

Led locally, supported from the U.S.

Pastor Selby HlengwaPastor Selby HlengwaMinistry Director, eManzana
Goodness HlengwaGoodness HlengwaMinistry leader, eManzana
Erik EskelundErik EskelundExecutive Director, Emoyeni USA
Tami EskelundTami EskelundExecutive Director, Emoyeni USA

Pastor Selby and Goodness Hlengwa lead the ministry from eManzana, supported by ministry administrator Wonder Hlengwa, our 11 youth workers and 4 farm workers. Erik and Tami Eskelund founded Emoyeni USA in 2002 and continue to serve as its executive directors, partnering with South African Christian leaders to develop locally led, Christ-centered ministry that strengthens families and protects children.

Thanksgiving & year-end 2026

Together, we can make these ministries possible

Christmas Outreach$8,500

December camp + Christmas celebration for 300+ children

Core Operations$31,500

Six months of staff, youth programs, facilities and farm

Spring Youth Camps$9,000

March and June 2027 youth camps

Scholarships & Support$10,000

Education and compassionate assistance

Our December–June goal

$59,000

Your gift this season helps sustain Christ-centered ministry, support local leaders, and serve children and families through June 2027.

Give Online Now

Give online

One-time or monthly gifts through our secure giving page.

QR code that opens Emoyeni’s secure online giving page Give Now

Will you be one of 53?

Just 53 friends giving $100 a month can sustain a full month of ministry for the children, youth, and families Emoyeni serves.

Become a Monthly Partner

Give by check

Make checks payable to:
Emoyeni USA
P.O. Box 299
West Hyannisport, MA 02672

Pray with us

Please pray with us for fruitful ministry, abundant provision, and a healthy, humble, loyal, loving, and Spirit-filled team.

“Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 19:14