On Friday 7th May the Director and staff hosted our service manager Lulama Mfuniselwa to a special lunch at a local restaurant to celebrate his 25th anniversary of working for Empilweni. Twenty-five years ago, on 6th May 1996, Lulama began working with boys in groups. Gradually he became involved in more intensive individual case work with children, and then ran parent workshops and training courses in the community before finally achieving promotion to service manager. With only a matriculation qualification when he started at Empilweni at the age of 25years, Lulama subsequently completed a Diploma in Youth Development through UNISA, and then went on to complete several training courses and to obtain a number of certificates from various tertiary institutions.
Several tributes were paid to Lulama at the lunch celebration. Particularly touching were the words of one of his daughters who paid tribute to him as a wonderful father. In his own speech Lulama thanked the Empilweni Board for recognising his 25 years of service, saying “I didn’t realise how much my efforts meant to my employers, my Director and colleagues, and my clients and how much they appreciate my calling to share my gifts of life with Empilweni. They have given me so much encouragement and support, and everything done with love and care. This is a day I will never forget in my whole life”. Lulama also thanked his children and his family for allowing him to be father to them all.