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Why is it that a sticky, home-made jam is always so irresistible? Why don’t you come and find out for yourself the fun the participants of this course all enjoyed together! There really is as much joy in making it as eating it! Fresh pawpaws and pineapples were cut up and grated, added to sugar and lemon juice, then cooked to a sticky perfection. For long-lasting results, little glass jars were boiled to sterilize and then filled with the cheeky-sticky jam. The word that describes both the fun afternoon and the jammy result – baie LEKKER!

As herbs and spices sizzled in a large frying pan, their aroma filling the air, participants were found very busy peeling, cutting and preparing the remaining ingredients for a flavourful dish of traditional Breyani. Although it took a while to complete, the result was well worth it. All participants enjoyed a serving of delicious Breyani and could even take some home to share. Needless to say, the afternoon passed all too quickly, not only by blending of spices, but also of skill, character and culture. Watch our website for the next Breyani date!

Ten participants gathered in the kitchen to bake farm loaves and yoghurt cake, under the instruction of a professional baker. While the bread was given a chance to rise, the cakes were mixed, baked and browned in the oven, filling the kitchen with a delicious odour of home-baked cake and bread! The cakes were then finished off with a touch of icing and decorative sprinkles, and all baked goods whisked off in different directions to ten different homes – for an evening of delight with the family. What better way can there be to celebrate a newly acquired (or fine-tuned) skill?

Baking scones and queen cakes involved a lot of measuring cups of flour and sugar, cracking eggs, kneading and whisking, rolling and cutting. Expressions of concentration gave way to delighted smiles and erupted into excited chatter as the batter came out the oven with great success, golden brown and delicious.

Under the guidance of an experienced facilitator the kitchen came alive with delicious smells of stewing meat and dough. Working in pairs, the participants kneaded dough, flavoured the meat and cooked it all to perfection. The moment of truth arrived when the Dombolo was taken out and cut, after which the course ended with a delicious meal, everybody enjoying their own cooked Dombolo and stew.

With cell phone cameras being freely available in almost everybody’s pocket, the photography course attracted an enthusiastic group of participants. Practical tips and tricks were passed on and were almost too simple to be true! Thanks to his love for good photos, the facilitator successfully managed to enable everyone to add that amazing, professional touch to their otherwise usual photos. Technical information was demonstrated through clear sample photos, and numerous practice sessions were squeezed in to allow participants to try out what they had learnt. Sebenzela uMdali is happy to have supplied the local community with quite a number of excellent photographers!

Over fifteen people joined us in the ‘Basic Vehicle Mechanics’ course. An experienced car mechanic taught participants the basics of looking after your vehicle, checking fluid levels etc. The focus then shifted to basic mechanical issues which we are all at risk of experiencing while on the road. Participants are now able help themselves through these issues by jump starting their car, or changing their tyre, as the need may be. We are happy to have sent them home with additional skills and boosted confidence to face the road.

2026 started with the practical course of ‘Bricklaying and Plastering’. In two sessions participants learned the basic skills needed to mix cement, build a wall, construct corners, and plaster the wall. Attention was given to details, using the spirit level and other tools to create a straight wall with perfect corners and a smooth finish by learning proper plastering tactics. These participants are now able to build on what they have learned by applying it to their own building projects at home.

We finished 2025 on a high note with a refreshing course in salad preparation. Participants learned how to prepare an iceberg salad and a tomato salad, with the focus on washing and cutting the lettuce or tomato and preparing a delicious salad dressing. Different techniques were learned to dry lettuce to ensure a crispy, fresh, green salad as a perfect side dish to any meal prepared for family and friends.

Jump starting cars and changing tyres kept the participants busy during this course. The focus was not only on simple remedies for frequent problems you can have with your car while on the road, but also on basic vehicle checks one can do before a journey. This is to ensure that the car is safe for travel and that all fluids are filled up to prevent unnecessary breakdowns and unplanned stops in a journey.

Building your own house is a dream many have and thanks to the bricklaying and plastering course, some are now equipped with the basic skills to do it themselves. Taught by experienced builders, the participants learned how to build a brick wall, using professional techniques to build it in a straight line and to make a corner. After building the wall, they learned how to plaster it smooth and even.

The sewing course was a follow up on the sewing course done in the first semester - a step up from hand sewing to machine sewing. A simple pattern served as a base to teach participants different machine settings and sewing techniques. With these basic machine skills learned, participants are now empowered to continue experimenting at home and ultimately sew to their heart's desire for family and friends.

Our first photography course taught participants the basic principles of (smartphone) photography in a very practical way. After learning some theory and receiving tips, they practiced taking photos on their smartphones, applying what they had just learned in taking photos of objects both indoors and outdoors. With improved photography skills they are now perfectly positioned to assist at any event as a photographer or even become an entrepreneur.

Home-based Care was a special course. The participants learned about caring for a loved one at home. The facilitator used a combination of both theory and practical methods in her training, and gave numerous examples from her own experiences as a home-based carer. This made the course interesting, and captivated the attention of all participants right up to the last minute.

Gardening once again featured in our second semester. This time, the focus was on compost. Participants visited gardens and composting sites to learn about different ways of making compost and how to add compost to your garden at the right time and in the correct quantities. They were able to test the different types of compost and were equipped to apply what they learnt to their own vegetable gardens at home.

The second baking course of the year focused on bread and cake. Once again directed by professional bakers, ingredients came together in a lovely dough which was baked into a crispy farm bread loaf. Fluffy batter became a deliciously spongy cake. With some icing and a decoration of sprinkles and chocolate shavings the cakes were soon turned into a treat which the participants took home to share with their families.

Roast chicken with 'stywe pap & shatini' is a simple dinner option that will never fail to treat your guests. Participants prepared both whole chickens as well as chicken pieces and roasted them golden brown in the oven. In the meantime the 'stywe pap & shatini' was prepared. Participants were rather critical, and it needed a lot of trying and tasting before the perfect taste and consistency were reached. Bon apetit!

The popular Indian dish of Breyani is a well-known hearty meal for many. However, the large amount of ingredients and the many variations from the basic recipe can easily confuse and discourage home cooks. The participants quickly realized that this does not have to be the case. Taught by a skilled facilitator, to whom cooking Breyani has become second nature, the recipe became amazingly easy to those learning. All successfully cooked a pot of delicious, mouthwatering Breyani.

The third course of the second semester attracted school children and adults alike. The facilitator explained banking and financial structures and gave advice on how to manage personal finances in a responsible way. For the school children it was a good introduction to future financial responsibilities. The participants now definitely know how to manage their finances with more confidence after completing this course.

We repeated the Home-made Jam course this semester. This time some young people joined. It was once again a very sweet and sticky experience for all, cutting, grating and boiling fruit and sugar until the right consistency was reached and the jam could be poured into jars to be enjoyed at home with family and friends. Jam on toast definitely tastes better when it is home-made!

In our first course of the second semester, it was a lot of fun for participants to work with dough, which soon turned into beautiful scones. Runny batter became delicious puffy queen cakes under the instruction of a professional baker. Each participant not only took a bag of scones and queen cakes home to share with the family but also gained a skill and confidence to keep baking at home.

Computers have become an essential part of businesses and can be found in many homes. Our ‘Basic Computer Skills’ course was attended with enthusiasm by office workers as well as people who hardly ever use a computer. The course covered basic computer programs and participants were taught about the use of internet and email. Everybody went home having gained practical skills and confidence in the use of a computer.

During the second gardening course of this semester, participants learned hands-on how to take care of a vegetable garden. Participants created mini vegetable gardens using 5L water bottles cut in half, and learned how to grow seedlings from seeds. The course partly took place outdoors, where participants learned about preparing the soil, planting and the right frequency of watering seedlings. This course planted a seed in each participant that has the potential to provide many families with fresh, home-grown vegetables.

Fresh fruit, a pot, a stove, sugar and lemon juice. There are not many things that are sweeter and have a more simple recipe than home-made jam. Participants experienced this during the Jam Making course. Fruit was cut and grated and then boiled with sugar until it reached the perfect consistency. Then the jars were filled and labelled. The final result was worthy of all the hard work, each participant taking home not only a new skill but also six jars of jam.

Sewing is a skill that is amazingly rare and yet makes a big difference in each family and community. About 20 participants attended, learning basic hand sewing in this course. Different kinds of stitches and their use was followed by sewing on (snap)buttons and repairing holes in socks. After the basics were taught and practiced, participants worked on a project to take home. They were also encouraged to bring their own clothing items that needed mending or alteration and received advice from our experienced facilitators.

In a suitable industrial-looking classroom participants learned hands-on to make their own vegetable garden. Using recycled materials like 5L plastic bottles and empty egg trays, mini gardens were created by all participants by mixing compost with earth to create fertile soil into which spinach, beetroot and cabbage seedlings were planted. Practical tips were given to enable them to carry on with their own vegetable garden at home.

The ‘Basic Hospitality’ course was a very interesting, practical and interactive course with many attendees and an enthusiastic facilitator. A large variety of topics was covered, from how to thoroughly and systematically clean a room, to how to make a bed professionally and properly. Tips were shared on how to make the guests feel extra welcome by adding small personal touches. During the second half of the training session these skills were practically demonstrated in a Guest House room.

Over 60 participants joined our Email & Business-writing course where they learned to write emails professionally, clearly and using the correct etiquette.

On two warm and sunny afternoons ‘The ABCs of Flower Arranging’ drew people from far and near. Participants started to explore different shapes and forms of arrangements using only greenery, experimenting with differently shaped vases and pots. Beautiful arrangements were taken home as proof of a successful session enjoyed by everybody.

The year started with a hugely successful course in cooking 'dombolo and stew' in a real African way. Everybody enjoyed kneading the dough and flavoured their pot of stew to perfect taste with a special mixture of spices. Whether they were beginners in the art of cooking or more experienced, enjoyed the experience and will be able to add a special touch to their cooking at home.