Precious Blood Sisters Launch Recycling Project in Mthatha Diocese

By Sr Margaret Mary SU – When the dreams within are expressed outwardly, they are meant to be realised by many, even if they originated from a sole dreamer.

The Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, Mthatha, launched a Recycling Project on October 17, 2025, at Ikhwezi  Lokusa Rehabilitation Centre. The day was graced by four priests, Fr Stephen Mandl CMM, Fr Monwabisi Majingolo, Fr Thembalethu Sandondo and Fr Taele Letlotlo CMM, religious brothers and sisters, Ikhwezi Lokusa Institution Staff, young people and many others.

“Nature is a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of His infinite Beauty and Goodness. Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness & praise” (Laudato Si’, 12)

A Vision Born from Compassion

Sr Martina Leaka CPS  could not help but notice the struggles unfolding around her: young people with potential yet unable to find meaningful employment, Mother Earth groaning under the weight of climate change, her resources depleted, and her beauty marred by human neglect; and communities desperately seeking creative outlets to improve their circumstances.

These observations weighed heavily on her heart. She began to ask herself: How can we help ourselves to be creative? How can we make something valuable out of what others discard as worthless? From these questions, a vision emerged of starting a recycling project that could transform waste into opportunity, idleness into productivity, and environmental degradation into restoration.

Sr Martina CPS knew that dreams, no matter how beautiful, remain merely wishes until they are shared and acted upon. With hope, she shared her vision with her fellow sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood. To her great relief and joy, they not only understood her vision but encouraged her to pursue it wholeheartedly.

From Vision to Reality: The Journey Begins

Sustained by prayer, Sr Martina took the first courageous steps towards making her dream a reality. She understood that this endeavour was too significant to undertake alone and through Divine Providence, she was led to three lay companions who demonstrated genuine interest in this initiative. The team members comprise Sr Martina Leaka CPS, Anda Ngonyama, Siyabulela Masindwa and Victoria Mjoqo. Each member brings unique skills, perspectives, and strengths to the project.

Light Does Not Discriminate

When one reflects on the composition of this team, a profound truth becomes evident: light does not discriminate. It does not select based on background, status, education, or any human measure of worthiness. Anyone who is open to receiving it can become part of it and indeed, can become a carrier of it to others.

Sr Martina CPS allowed the light within her, that God-given spark of creativity, compassion, and vision to shine visibly rather than keeping it hidden. By doing so, she has made it possible for others to benefit from that light. This is the beautiful mystery of goodness: once we allow the light within us to become visible, it ceases to be “my light” and transforms into “our light.” It multiplies rather than diminishes when shared.

Her team consists of four individuals from vastly different backgrounds, each with their own story and journey, yet they are united by a common purpose and a shared vision. The Project then is open to anyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what resources they possess. All that is required is willingness, creativity, and commitment.

The Objectives of the Recycling Project

1. Creating Affordable Sources of Income

In our society today, where formal employment is scarce, this project offers an alternative pathway to financial sustainability. By collecting, processing, and selling recycled materials, participants can generate income whilst contributing positively to their environment. This objective recognises that poverty and environmental degradation often go hand in hand, and that solutions must address both simultaneously.

2. Generating Employment for Young People

Youth unemployment is one of the most pressing challenges facing South Africa today. Countless young people leave school with qualifications but no prospects, dreams but no opportunities. This project offers them something meaningful that provides income whilst also instilling a sense of purpose and contribution. It teaches important skills in entrepreneurship and environmental management.

3. Mitigating Climate Change

Every item rescued from becoming environmental pollution, and every creative act of reuse rather than disposal, are small but significant acts of environmental stewardship.  These acts contribute to the larger global effort to combat climate change. This project acknowledges that whilst we may not be able to solve the entire climate crisis, we can certainly play our part in the solution.

4. Encouraging Creativity and Environmental Responsibility

Perhaps most importantly, this project challenges people to think differently. It trains minds to see potential where others see only rubbish, to envision beauty where others see only waste, to recognise opportunity where others see only problems. It cultivates a mindset of responsibility, the understanding that we are stewards, not merely consumers, of the resources entrusted to us.

Ms Njabulo Zwane, the guest speaker, delivered a powerful message to all present. She emphasised that throwing something away after a single use should no longer be considered an option in our modern world. “We are responsible for training our minds to think more deeply and in innovative ways,” she declared. “We must ask ourselves: How can we make continued use of materials without polluting the environment? How can we extend the life cycle of every item that passes through our hands?”

She called for a fundamental shift in mindset, from thoughtless consumption to mindful stewardship, from careless disposal to creative reuse.

Lessons from a Courageous Beginning

The Power of Sharing Our Dreams

In her opening address, Sr Martina CPS expressed her passion for caring for creation and finding innovative uses for waste materials. But she did not keep this passion hidden as a private hobby or a personal interest. With courage, she shared it with her religious community, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.

This act of sharing is significant. Many of us harbour dreams, passions, and visions that we keep locked away, either from fear of rejection, embarrassment, or the belief that our ideas are not worthy of serious consideration. Sister Martina’s example is a powerful call to all of us, that we embrace our inner desires for promoting a better world and to pursue them with courage and determination.

Our Dreams Are Meant to Benefit Others

God-inspired desires are meant to benefit others even more than the person who first envisioned them. Sr Martina’s personal passion has blossomed into a project that creates employment, protects the environment, empowers young people, and teaches valuable skills. Her private dream has become a public blessing. The project is not under her name but it has automatically become a sisters’ project: Recycling Project of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.

This is the nature of authentic missionary work: it flows from personal encounter with God’s love and naturally overflows to benefit others. Our courageous beginnings, no matter how small or uncertain they may seem, can become pathways that reach many people, helping and empowering them along the way.

This reflects the very heart of the Gospel. Just as Our Lord Jesus Christ’s selfless service was meant to benefit all of humanity, our own acts of service, when rooted in love and offered in faith, participate in His ongoing mission. This is missionary activity for the 21st century. It does not require travelling to distant lands or possessing extraordinary resources. It simply requires courage to start from where we are, faithfulness to continue, and openness to where God may lead us.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Missionaries

Whilst Sr Martina emphasised that this project is designed to benefit young people in the community, she has simultaneously inspired young religious sisters to recognise the greatness their own minds can achieve.

In an age when some question the relevance of religious life, when vocations seem to be declining, when the Church faces numerous challenges, this project provides a powerful counter-narrative. It demonstrates conclusively that mission work is not only still possible today but is thriving and taking new, creative forms, as long as we allow God to be the source of it all.

Sister Martina’s example shows that religious life in the modern era need not be confined to traditional expressions alone, important as those are. It can also embrace innovation, environmental stewardship, social entrepreneurship, and creative problem-solving. The habit does not limit creativity; rather, it can be the garment worn by those who dream and act with courage for the Kingdom of God.

Small Acts, Significant Impact

The project reminds us that we need not wait for perfect circumstances, unlimited resources, or complete certainty before we begin. In our smallest and most honest ways, we can make a genuine difference in the world around us.

A life spent in the service of others and in harmony with God’s creation is truly worth living. This is not merely philosophical reflection; it is practical truth demonstrated through action. We are not isolated individuals pursuing only our own interests. We are members of one another, placed in community precisely so that we might support and help each other through our own courageous acts of service.

Every act of kindness matters. Every effort to care for creation makes a difference. Every attempt to empower another person sends ripples far beyond what we can see or measure. Sister Martina’s recycling project is not just about collecting plastic bottles and creating products from waste materials. It is about demonstrating an alternative way of being in the world, a way characterised by creativity, responsibility, compassion, and hope.

“We have to realise that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”, Pope Francis.

As this project moves forward from its inspiring launch into the challenging work of daily operations, we offer our heartfelt prayers and blessings.

We wish Sr Martina and her dedicated team abundant blessings of progression. May their work flourish and multiply. May they encounter favour and support from unexpected sources. May they experience the joy that comes from meaningful work and the satisfaction of seeing lives transformed.

May their light continue to shine brightly, illuminating paths for many others to follow. May this project inspire countless others to look at the challenges in their own communities and ask, “What could I do? What dream is God placing in my heart? What small act of courage might I undertake that could bless others?”

And may all of us be inspired to allow our own inner light to shine, to share our own dreams courageously, and to take our own first steps towards making a difference in our corner of God’s beloved world.