Facilities care for orphans, and many needy children
ACHILDREN’S home in King William’s Town is hoping for a good year ahead in order to continue aiding the destitute and orphaned youth in the town.
The King William’s Town Child and Youth Care Centre has been operating for decades despite having faced many obstacles over the years.
“We have many fundraising plans for the year ahead,” director, Nomsa Mandya said.
“This year we would like to create more awareness around the harsh realities these youngsters face.”
The centre is a community-based, registered non-profit organisation and offers services including residential and medical care for orphans, as well as other vulnerable children and youth from birth to 18 years of age.
The centre is planning to hold a celebration in May to raise awareness and funds.
“We are still going strong and we continue to take in vulnerable children from all over the Eastern Cape,” Mandya said.
Last year, the centre produced one of the Eastern Cape’s matriculants.
“There will always be challenges, particularly with regard to funding.
“We always need more food, groceries and workers. It is very tough,” Mandya said.
“We have received funding from KFC and donations from individuals which have really saved us.”
The centre relies on sponsorship and donations to stay above water.
If anyone is willing to make a donation of any kind, please contact Mandya on 073 643 6914 or at kwtcycc@boarder.co.za
Kuselo Child and Youth Care Centre committed to raising and distributing funds. “I decided I wanted to help and I knew I could do it,” Kuselo director Amanda Coetzee said.
She acquired a dilapidated building in December 2015, which she and her team revamped, painting and re-installing plumbing and electricity. They received a health clearance certificate and now await final approval from the Department of Social Development, after which they will be able to house 60 children.
In October 2016, Kuselo was however not approved by the department of Social Development as a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC), for abused, abandoned and neglected children. It is said that the CYCC’s that are in operation are not filled to capacity and thus there is no need for an additional CYCC. The homes fought for more than a year and a half for this registration and yet were still rejected.
Kuselo was then forced to change their primary objectives from a CYCC to a Child and Youth Care Services Centre which meant they would be able to assist and reach out to more children in crises as they became a distribution centre for those in need.
Kuselo Director, Amanda Coetzee said:”We wish to operate in a much bigger area than before. Our aim is to help as many children and also serve communities in East London.”
Kuselo is currently partnering with companies and call on companies to make contact. Their services include doing administration on behalf of other companies, no longer do the companies have to decide who they need to donate to and wonder if those children or persons really benefit from their donations.
Kuselo inspects the various organisations, confirm legitimacy and add the organisations as a beneficiary to their database, once a donation is received, three organisations will then be selected.
Donations will be distributed evenly amongst the beneficiaries, once received, the next 3 organisations will benefit.
“The community has been so supportive throughout this stressful and difficult time, we would like to thank the community for their generosity and appeal to the community to continue to support Kuselo,” said Coetzee.
For further information on Kuselo, contact Coetzee on 072-512-7227
