SA Children's Home celebrates 214th birthday by giving back to others
Established in Cape Town in 1808, the South African Children's Home (SACH) celebrated its 214th birthday on 1 September. Week-long festivities included the children giving back to others in need. On Sunday, the children at SACH got involved in a huge soup-making effort to feed 1,000 people who are currently experiencing food insecurity.
Source: Supplied
SACH teamed up with Beyond Feeding which distributed the soup to families living in 18 informal settlements in Philippi on the Cape Flats. In the run up to the celebrations, the children also 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.”
SACH provides a 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.
Source: Supplied
Supporting SACH during its birthday celebrations
To mark the occasion of this momentous birthday, South African individuals and businesses can get involved through donations, big and small.
Says Uys: “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 R6m 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.
Source: Supplied
As part of its 214th birthday fundraising campaign, SACH is looking for businesses and individuals to make a contribution towards critical costs such as:
- R25,000 per month for electricity
- R12,000 per month for diesel
- R135,000 per month for food and cleaning
- R27,924 per year for pocket money
For further information and to donate, click here or email gro.siuhrednikas@resiardnuf.
