Missionvale Care Centre launches FIG Tree Legacy Fund to carry forward Sister Ethel’s dream.

On image: Lucky Ngamlana from Missionvale Care Centre.

The Missionvale Care Centre (MCC) held a heartfelt and inspiring event at the Boardwalk ICC in Gqeberha this past Thursday evening, officially launching the FIG Tree Legacy Fund. The launch marks a new chapter for the centre, aimed at keeping the work and dreams of Sister Ethel Normoyle alive in the community she served so faithfully.

The gathering brought together a mix of Missionvale’s long-standing partners, stakeholders, supporters, and young people who have been directly shaped by the centre’s programmes. The atmosphere was sincere, grounded, and filled with appreciation for how far the centre has come since Sister Ethel first sat under a tree and began her mission back in 1988.

One of the evening’s highlights came from Lucky Ngamlana, the Master of Ceremonies and head of the Impumelelo Training and Development Centre (ITDC), which is one of MCC projects. Lucky is more than just a leader within Missionvale, he is one of its own success stories. Growing up in the same community, he was among the many young people positively influenced by Sister Ethel’s work, and today he leads programmes that focus on skills development, training, and job placement for local youth.

In an interview, Lucky spoke with passion about walking the journey with young people, from identifying potential to helping them find employment and realise what they are capable of achieving. “Over the past few years, we’ve managed to secure more than 350 job placements across Nelson Mandela Bay,” he shared. “This fund means that the work doesn’t stop here. It’s about making sure the legacy continues and that young people keep finding their way.”

He also reflected on how his own life was changed by the care centre, saying that the Missionvale community is full of people who need to see that they are able, and that they matter. His words were a reminder that the success of the centre is not measured only in numbers, but in restored dignity and confidence.

On image: Hand-painted succulent pots, each carrying the personal details of the young people who crafted them.

Andrew Jensen, Director of the Missionvale Care Centre Board of Trustees, shared a detailed look at the centre’s history and the purpose behind the new fund. He reminded guests that Missionvale was once a place known for poverty, malnutrition, and violence but that Sister Ethel saw beyond all of that.

Arriving in South Africa as a nun, Sister Ethel requested to serve “the poorest of the poor.” What began under a tree in Missionvale grew into a centre that was later visited by both Mother Teresa and Queen Elizabeth II and admired around the world for its commitment to community development.

Andrew explained that the FIG Tree Legacy Fund aims to raise R30 million over five years to support the centre’s ongoing education and training programmes, Sister Ethel’s lifelong passion. “The fund is about sustainability,” he said. “It’s about ensuring that what she built doesn’t just survive but grows.”

He shared examples of Missionvale’s impact, from the Normoyle Primary School, which provides quality education to more than 200 children, to the youth and recycling programmes that employ and involve thousands of local residents. The centre’s gardens also produce fresh vegetables that feed families and contribute to community nutrition.

Together, these projects create real opportunities in a place where options are often limited. Through this work, the Missionvale Care Centre has become a space where people regain a sense of purpose and pride in their community.

The evening closed with gratitude toward the many stakeholders and partners who made the launch possible. Their continued involvement shows that collaboration remains at the heart of Missionvale’s success. Each organisation and individual present shared a common belief, that progress in under-resourced communities is possible when people come together with intent, humility, and faith.

In the end, it was clear that the FIG Tree Legacy Fund is not just about raising money, it’s about ensuring that Sister Ethel’s spirit of compassion, service, and opportunity lives on. It’s about giving the next generation of Missionvale the tools to build a better life and reminding everyone that great change can still grow from the smallest seed planted with love.

For more, visit: Missionvale Care Centre