OUR HISTORY

Opportunity to Serve Ministries also known as OTSM, a Non-Profit

Organisation (NPO) was established in 1999 to serve the greater community

of Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas. The FROG Centre (Fully Reliant on

God) where OTSM operates from was birthed and built up by a local Baptist

minister Reverend John M. Pascoe, volunteers of his congregation and

missionaries from the USA after purchasing the land from the City of Cape Town.

The Centre had officially opened its doors in Woodlands, Mitchells Plain in

2000 to the community. It was established with a mandate to serve as a

community-based project to uplift, upskill and empower the community

members to be self-reliant despite the socio-economic environment which

they find themselves in. As the Centre has grown, focus shifted to health

promotion as a priority with an intended outcome to influence positive social

behaviour change amongst community members. The target group are people

of our community from 0-100 years.

As a result, Barney and Friends Edu-Care Centre had been registered and

opened in 2002 with 5 practitioners and one hundred learners. COVID-19 had

a negative effect on our Edu-Care with learner numbers dropping from 60

(2019) to 35 learners and 4 teachers currently having an adverse effect on our

income stream. We recently built 6 classrooms with toilets (including one for

the physically challenged) and a playground. We aim to apply to the Dept of

Education to register a Grade R and a Grade 1 class.

OTSM Home Based Care (HBC) program solely funded by the Dept. of Health

aims to positively contribute to the social and health development of the

community of Mitchells Plain. The organization positions its programs not only

for health risk reduction but also as the generator of empowered members of

the community and society through the youth clubs, Educare Centre, wellness

days, skills training for HBC workers, Gender-based violence (GBV) and

Mental Health workshops which operate from the FROG Centre.

The HBC program is run by a board of directors and management committee.

OTSM HBC operates in many districts across Mitchells Plain and currently

provides services to the young and elderly. There are 3x Coordinators

(including 1 Professional Nurse) ,55 Community Health Workers (CHWs), 2

Supervisors, 1 Project Managers ,1 Administrator 1 Finance & MERL

Volunteer. The program’s focus is to provide these services to those living

with chronic illnesses with particular focus on HIV/ AIDS. Other issues of

concern for the program include address socio-economic and political

challenges of the community such as violence, poverty, and abuse. The

emphasis is on empowerment of the community especially the children

through the various programs and trainings which it runs such as pap smear,

GBV, youth clubs, new births immunization defaulters, HIV/ AIDS testing, TB

screening, breast screening, breast examination etc.

Vision

To serve, uplift and impact our community in a positive way.

Mission

Providing quality health, education, and social services to promote healthy

lifestyle in our community.

Values

Integrity, Compassion, Commitment, Respect, Dignity.