Mdantsane Township was formally established in 1963 when the first 300 residents moved into new houses. People were forcibly removed from what was known as East Bank in East London. It is the second-largest township in South Africa, after Soweto. The original intention was to house the labor force for neighboring industries. The design of the “matchbox houses” was not intended for families but to accommodate transient workers; thus, housing families in these structures reflected the lack of regard the Apartheid government had for Africans. This resulted in significant underdevelopment in various ways.

Over the past 50 years, St Peter’s Chains Church has symbolized the principles of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church (EEC), affirming Afrikan culture through language, worship, and traditional values. It has served the poor and promoted self-sufficiency. The church was built in one of the poorest areas, and by establishing St Peter’s Chains Church in Mdantsane, the Ethiopian Episcopal Church aimed to provide a spiritual home for the poor in this township. However, high poverty and unemployment rates have made it difficult to maintain the church buildings as they should have been.

For these reasons, the church seeks external assistance to restore and expand its facilities, fulfill its spiritual mission, instill pride and ambition in women and youth, and foster self-reliance within the community.