South Africa’s oldest charity, established in Cape Town in 1808, celebrated more than two centuries of continuous service to the country’s most vulnerable children. Today, the South African Children’s Home (SACH) provides a loving family home to 44 resident children, as well as transitional support for those who are old enough to leave the Home. All SACH children are placed in the home by the South African Children’s Court.
A fun dress-up day and birthday tea with supporters was part of a week-long celebration which also included the children giving back to others in need. On Sunday 4 September, the big family kitchen at SACH turned into a hive of activity as the children got involved in a huge soup-making effort to feed 1000 people who are currently experiencing food insecurity.
SACH teamed up with fellow NGO, Beyond Feeding that distributed the soup to families living in 18 informal settlements in Philippi on the Cape Flats. However, it’s not just the soup preparation that the children contributed to the project. In the run up to the big birthday celebrations, the children donated a portion of their own pocket money to a fund to help pay for the soup ingredients. The fresh produce used in the soup came from the vegetable gardens overseen by Beyond Feeding.
“There’s been huge excitement anticipating this birthday and saving up some of their pocket money every two weeks has been a countdown of sorts for the children,” says Jalize Uys, SACH’s Chairperson of the Board. “Getting involved in a soup drive like this shows them not just that there are other people in need, but also that they have the power to help out others. This helps to destigmatise their experiences, roll up their sleeves and cheerfully give back.”
Support the SACH during its 214-year birthday celebrations
To mark the occasion of this momentous birthday, South African individuals and businesses can get involved through donations, big and small. Uys says, “Not many people think about the huge costs involved in supporting a family with 44 children, especially during these tough economic times. SACH strives constantly to give our children the best start in life, facilitating schooling, providing nutritious meals, decent clothing and toiletries, healthcare and psycho-social support as well as those important small treats in life, like pocket money, which other children may take for granted, but is a symbol of normalcy and stability for our children. Every month we face the high costs of food, clothing, laundry, transporting 44 children to 18 schools every day, and we have a significant liability when it comes to electricity and water.”
SACH operates on a budget of over R6 million per year, and only 35% of this is government-funded. The organisation relies on the generosity of its donors and supporters to cover the bulk of its operating costs.
As part of its 214-year birthday fund-raising campaign, SACH is looking for businesses and individuals to make a contribution towards critical costs such as:
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R25 000 per month for electricity
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R12 000 per month for diesel
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R135 000 per month for food and cleaning
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R 27 924 per year for pocket money
To make a joyful difference in celebration of SACH’s 214-year birthday go to https://sakinderhuis.org/donate/ or contact: fundraiser@sakinderhuis.org for further information or banking details.
