A prominent Cape Town foster care centre is calling on the public to assist them in raising funds to ensure that they provide the best care for the young boys and girls in their care.
Home From Home, a non-profit organisation (NPO) based in Cape Town and one of the country’s largest cluster foster care organisations, works in Ocean View, Masiphumelele, Westlake, Observatory, Mowbray, Strand and Ruyterwacht.
The NPO comprises of staff, social workers, foster mothers and a committee board.
Park in Khayelitsha. Here he is with with one of the
babies being cared for at the foster care centre.
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED.
Thousands of South African children in foster care face a harsh and overlooked reality when they turn 18.
Legally required to leave their foster homes, many are left without stable housing, support, or access to education and employment. Home from Home, one of the country’s largest cluster foster care organisations, is working to change this through its Transitional Support Programme.
The NPO also provides the young adults leaving their foster care system with life skills development, job preparation and resources to build independent and stable lives.
Eilene Brown, a youth transitional practitioner at Home From Home’s Westlake Transition Home, said: “Our home supports young adults coming from the Westlake, Masiphumelele, and Ocean View HFH foster homes.
“In addition, it also serves young people from the other three metro areas where we provide care—Metro North, Metro East, and the Winelands.
“Placement in a specific transition support house is based on the best fit for each individual, taking into account factors such as where the young person will be studying orworking.”
Sinokhanyo Piedt grew up at Home from Home Ilitha Park in Khayelitsha, before moving to transitional housing in 2022.
He says “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Home from Home. They provided me with stability, a roof over my head, clothes to wear, and access to education. My (foster) mother, Nomnikelo Kemele, dedicated 20 years to caring for my (foster) siblings and I, something our biological parents struggled with.
“Mama Nicky always prioritised us, and the home gave me that second chance at belonging to a family.”
“Mama Nicky is my biggest role model, and the person I am is a testament to the mother she is. She taught me that success starts with good basic values, and that respect is earned by giving it to others,” adds Piedt.
It is this level of support that is carried through to Home from Home’s transitional care.
In South Africa, youth unemployment is above 60%, and with high levels of poverty and widespread inequality in education, young people face overwhelming odds.
For those raised in under-resourced communities, access to quality schooling and opportunities is limited, making the path to independence even steeper.
“Children being referred to Home from Home experience neglect, abuse, or abandonment before finding stability in one of our foster homes, where they build a sense of family, trust, and belonging,” says Peter Marx, Executive Director of Home from Home.
“Then at 18, as they start to feel secure, they are required to leave their foster homes to make space for younger children in need. Without continued support, this shift can be debilitating.”
With 35 homes in 16 communities across five Western Cape metropoles: Home from Home currently cares for over 200 children and young people.
A total of 80 are expected to age out of foster care in the next five years.
“There is a dire need for more transitional programmes in South Africa. If ones like ours are not in place, then what happens to those young adults?” asks Marx.
There are thousands of young adults, like Piedt, who can contribute positively to society if given the chance.
“Being at the transitional home has taught me so much. I’ve learnt about responsibility and job preparation, and built skills like budgeting, meal planning, and time and household management.
“I’ve been able to set goals, and create a plan to achieve them without worrying about where I’ll sleep or where my next meal comes from,” says Piedt.
Grateful for what it has given them, many of the young people being supported by the transitional programme are developing a desire to give back.
This echoed by Piedt, who says “Every young person deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and I’m committed to making a positive impact. I want to give hope to those who feel lost in life, and one day build an organisation and space for people like me to heal, grow, and thrive.”
The foster care grant provided by the South African Social Security Agency is R1 250 per child per month, which terminates when the child turns 18.
Home from Home spends five times this amount per child per month, and independently funds its transitional programmes through donations.
Home from Home is calling on individuals, businesses, and organisations to join efforts in making a difference, by supporting fundraising initiatives for this year.
For more information about Home From Home and to donate, visit
https://homefromhome.org.za/.
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