For some people, a second chance begins with something as simple as a warm meal, a safe place to sleep or someone willing to listen.

At Moeggesukkel, an NGO in Centurion, founder Jacques Papenfus and his team have spent years helping individuals who have faced hardship find those small beginnings and ultimately rebuild their lives.

What started as an effort to help people in need has grown into a community upliftment organisation that today provides a home and daily support to about 150 people, including 24 children.

The community has now recognised the organisation’s work, with Moeggesukkel taking first place in the Best Community Upliftment Organisation category at the 2026 Best of Pretoria awards.

But for Papenfus, the award is not simply about being named a winner. It represents the people who have walked through Moeggesukkel’s doors looking for hope and gone on to find employment, reconnect with their families and regain their independence.

“This recognition means a lot to us because Moeggesukkel was built by ordinary people helping ordinary people. Being recognised by the Pretoria community is meaningful because this is the community that has supported us. Businesses, individuals, volunteers and supporters have helped us turn difficult situations into opportunities.”

Papenfus said the organisation’s greatest goal is restoration, with the hope that people leave in a better position than when they arrived, carrying dignity, purpose and hope for their future.

For those living at the facility, that support can take many forms. Moeggesukkel provides daily meals, transports children to school and assists residents with medical and social needs while also working to create employment opportunities and pathways towards independence.

Its support extends far beyond the organisation’s gates. Every month, it strives to provide food parcels to about 750 families on its database. Yet one of the most meaningful aspects of the programme is that some of the people preparing the parcels are individuals who once needed Moeggesukkel’s help themselves.

“For us, that is what true community upliftment is about: turning people who once needed help into people who can help others,” stated Papenfus.

He believes this practical approach is part of what has connected the organisation to the Pretoria community. Rather than simply talking about social problems, Moeggesukkel tries to respond in tangible ways, whether by providing an elderly person with a safe home, helping someone through a difficult period or ensuring a child can get to school.

“Sometimes helping someone can be as simple as sitting beside a person who feels that the world has forgotten them.”

Papenfus noted that the journey to get where the organisation is now has not always been easy.

“There have been difficult days when we were uncertain about how we would continue helping, but there was always enough support and grace to carry us through to the next day,” he said.

The people whose lives are changed remain his biggest motivation.

“One person gets a job. A family reconciles. Someone who arrived without hope starts smiling again. An elderly person finally feels safe. A child gets an opportunity they didn’t have before,” he added.

The founder’s faith also plays an important role in his work, rooted in his belief that people are blessed so they can bless others.

“The Best of Pretoria recognition will not change Moeggesukkel’s purpose, but it has inspired the organisation to keep pushing forward.

“Our future goals include expanding our facilities, creating more employment and skills development opportunities, strengthening our food programmes and helping more people move from dependency to independence,” stated Papenfus.

He also believes the recognition belongs to the wider community that has supported Moeggesukkel through donations, volunteering, financial contributions and other forms of assistance.

“To every person who has walked this journey with us, thank you,” he said.

For those who want to continue supporting Moeggesukkel, the organisation can be contacted on 073 329 5174 or through its social media platforms, where it shares its projects, needs and stories.

For Papenfus, however, the real measure of the NGO’s success will never be an award. “Make making a difference your goal. Purpose will always be worth more than recognition.”