Degrees Held
- BA(SWK) University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) 1993,
- MA (Theology & Development) University KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) 2007
Research Interests
- Researching and Positioning Relevant Critical & Scholastic Social Work Response to present day to day life challenges.
- How does work in HIV and AIDS interface between African Spirituality and Religion?
- What forms the basis of Resilience in Children, Women and Men impacted directly or indirectly with HIV and AIDS?
- Exploring new theologies towards transformation and equipping communities to face challenges brought about HIV and AIDS in a South African context.
- Master’s Degree in Theology and Development Studies: An Exploration Study of Children’s Spiritual Development working with Abandoned Children on their Perceptions of the Images of God.
- Working with Religious Sector Advocating for the Prevention of SGBV and Femicide.
- (CO-PI) Researcher on: “Breaking the Silence”- We Will Speak Out Mafia.com. A needs assessment of survivors of sexual violence in KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape. (2014) -tilz.tearfund.org/…/TLZ/HIV/Breaking the silence pdf file
- (CO-PI) Researcher funded by TEARFUND.UK on: “If I Speak Out, Will It Change?” Listening to Survivors of Sexual Violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, Rwanda, Central African Republic (CAR), Tanzania, Ethiopia, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Namibia, and Lesotho
- “To Make Our Voices Heard” – tearfund.org/-media/files/HIV/make our voices heard pdf. file https://www.ncibi.nim.nih.gov/n/m catalog 101574712
- “Waiting to Speak”-Tearfund Learn tilz.tearfund.org/-media/Learn tlz A needs Assessment of Survivors of Sexual Violence in the Western Cape S.A. with Hope Africa.
- “Are We Listening to Survivors? – Tearfund https://learn-tearfund.org/-media/Learn files/tilz/sgbv/2017.
Teaching Interests
- SOWK 211 Working with Individuals and Families: – Casework Theory & Practice
- SOWK 401 Family Therapy, Psycho-social Support & Mental Health
- SOWK 4AP Field Placement Instruction & Community Based Learning Preparing Students for Implementation of Theory and Practice in Social Work Practice.
- Facilitating, convening monthly and Co-ordinating Supervision of Field Instruction of Supervisors.
- Creative Teaching and Learning skills in facilitating Active Listening, Participation and Role Play these appeals to younger generation we encounter during lectures
Conference Paper Presentations
- Webinar Presentation at University of Zululand invitation by the Pastoral Care Unit in the office of the Vice Chancellor on ‘Rape and Suicide’
- Webinar Presentation at UJAMAA Research Centre on the Annual Mzwandile Nunes Memorial Lecture on ‘Juxtaposing the impact of HIV and Covid-19 on the South African economy: Implications for unemployed youth.
- What happened to support groups in the era of HIV test and treat? Lessons learned from Siyaphila network of PLHIV in KwaZulu-Natal
- Reframing Disability in Africa: Spaces for Reason, Responsibility for Social Change and Transformation Conference.: The intersections of Disability, Culture and Human Rights: What is happening in Africa?
- Transforming Faith Communities into Safe Space: Conversations on Gender, Health, Religion Culture and Disability.
- 4th Annual Conference in UKZN https://www.ukzn.ac./news/reframing-disability-in-Africa-discussed-at-the-4th Annual Conference.
- Joint Conference of Academic Societies in the field of Religion and Theology
- Bongi Zengele, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Dr. Deborah Mindry, University of California, Los Angeles:
- ‘Support Groups as critical sites of religious engagement with lived realities of human rights struggles: A case study of Siyaphila, in KwaZulu Natal Province in South Africa.’
- A critical reflection on SACSSP code of ethical values that are challenging Social Work in an ever – changing context of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. (ASASWEI-ASSWA Social work Conference)
- Can debt be a barrier of decolonizing education? a critical reflection on fees must fall campaign in UKZN. (ASASWEI-ASSWA Social work Conference)
- ‘Support Groups as critical sites of religious engagement with lived realities of human rights struggles: A case study of Siyaphila, in KwaZulu Natal Province in South Africa.’
- AIDS Conference in Durban 2017 presentation workshop on Sugar Daddies’ and transactional sex among young girls living in poverty and HIV&AIDS.
Selected Publications
Books
- Zengele, Bongi 2014 ‘Church Resource Manual on Sexual Gender Based Violence: Contextual Bible Studies to Transform our Response to Sexual Gender Based Violence. A project of We Will Speak out South Africa funded by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Journal Articles
- West, Gerald and Zengele, Bongi 2006 ‘The medicine of God’s word: what people want (and get) from the Bible’ Journal of Theology for Southern Africa125:51-63.
- Zengele, Bongi 2008 Conference Presentation for AACC 7-12 December 2008 Maputo, ‘Youth Becoming a Caring and Healing Community: Cultural Practices that leads to positive behaviours.’
- Telling the Ujamaa Centre Story CIHA-Blog https://www.chablog.com/telling-the-ujamaa-centre-story
Chapters in Books
- West, Gerald O., and Zengele Bongi. “Reading Job ‘Positively’ in the Context of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.” Concilium 4 (2004): 112-24.
- Zengele, Bongi 2009 (submitted to Cartography CHART book project) A response to academic paper by an Activist: ‘Children HIV and AIDS in Religion’
- Zengele, Bongi 2009 (submitted to Cartography CHART project) A response to academic paper by an Activist: ‘Religion and Policy in the Context of HIV and AIDS’ Chart.ukzn.ac.za/index php/people
- Zengele, Bongi 2017 (a chapter in a book) ‘Let the Children Come to Me’ Edited by Ezra Chitando & Nyambura Njoronge
- Zengele, Bongi 2020 (a training manual) A toolkit for Multi-faith leaders: Christians, Bahai, Buddhism, Islamic and Traditional Healers. Sonke Gender Justice initiative.
- Zengele, Bongi 2020 Engaging traditional and religious leadership on gender transformation resource manual: MenEngage Africa Alliance link https://menengageafrica.org/publication/engaging-traditional-and-inter-religious-leadership-on-gender-transformation-resource-manual//
Community Engagement
- A Research Associate in Ujamaa Research Centre within the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics
- Ma’at Institute Mentor facilitating the implementation of Psycho-social Support to communities affected by Covid-19 Pandemic.
- Board-member of KZN-CORE the outreach program of the school of Social Work
- Board -member of Sakhumzi NPO the community-based organization reaching out to vulnerable communities facing SGBV and Substance Abuse.
- Founding member of Siyaphila Support Groups for PLHIV in KZN province
- Founding member of (FLGTP) Faith Leaders Gender Transformation Committee
Teaching Expertise
- My experience has been focused at enabling students to relate theory and practice in community work that provided conducive environment for action research to take place, offering support and mentorship to different students as they engaged with communities doing research. My role has been that of a liaison person between the community and the academia
- Researched and developed through action research and field-tested a Resource Manual for Churches on Sexual Gender Based Violence using Theological and Biblical Resources. Finished United Nations (UNFPA) assignment of field-testing within 45 days in two provinces KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. This was very successful and there is a demand for more copies translated into local languages. To engage religious and Traditional leaders in the prevention of SGBV
Student Supervision
Masters
- Mr Joseph Mosoeu (2020) ‘Sihlukumezekile!! The Elderly Talk of their Experiences of Elder Vulnerability in KwaSwayimani.
- Ms Nosipho Chonco (2021) Sexual Reproductive Health Issues: Exploring the Perceptions of Young Women in the Post-Teenage Pregnancy Experiences.
Honours
- Mr. Emanuel Mboya (2012) A Critical Analysis on How Children who live in the Streets/ Street Children Pray
- Mr. James Miriango (2013) A Critical Analysis of (RGC) Redeemed Gospel Church’s Doctrine of Holiness in working with HIV and AIDS in handling Stigma and Discrimination
