“To Kids Haven being 28 years old –Twenty eight means there is enough of a foundation for Kids Haven to go out and do more. Kids Haven has faced many challenges and tribulations since 1992; it is time for Kids Haven to blossom even more. The goal is clearer than it ever was.

We have received so much support from donors over the years; they have shaped us, from our early beginnings. Now we are running, and we are going forward.  So many children have come through our doors over the years, and trusted us with their lives. We are truly blessed.”  Sam Mokgopha

Memories of children

“The recent wedding of Mandla H was the most exciting event. As a child Mandla was quiet, but he listened to all that we said. He grew up and went out to live his life. He requested our presence at the wedding as his family, as he has no contact with his family. This event showed us how much value we add to a child’s life. Mandla said ‘you are the only people I call family.’ Support from Kids Haven meant so much to him. He would have been alone had Kids Haven staff not attended his wedding. He brought his wife to visit us six months later. It was so exciting and comforting to know that he got his good values from us when starting his life.”  Sam Mokgopha

“One day I took a walk with nine year old Bongani and bought a juice for him. He enjoyed it very much and said ‘I wish my mum could take a walk with me.’  It is amazing that simple things like a walk, a hug, juice and ice cream can make someone else happy.”  Lulu Mashifane

“I will tell him or her that Kids Haven it’s a place of protection and is secure.”

“Streets not safe, Kids Haven is safe.”

“Yes when at home they abuse him I gonna say you must come and tell your social worker then social worker gonna tell you feel safe at Kids Haven.” Children’s feedback

“The love for my community has been growing by the fact that I can contribute towards the healing and progress of my community members. Some of the children at Kids Haven were from Duduza, and visiting their homes and seeing pain and suffering in the eyes and voices of their parents, has somehow got me involved in wanting to help and share skills and experiences learnt from Kids Haven. I can now proudly stand and say I have made a difference in my community.”  Fikile Manana

“I became part of the Kids Haven family in 2002 and although at the time it was really tough getting used to living in Kids Haven, I was welcomed with open arms by the staff and the children. I have gotten opportunities at Kids Haven that I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else. I was given a chance to shine and show that I can make something of myself.  People normally look down on shelters but what they don’t know is that it is at these shelters where most children relearn how to dream, love and hope. It is here that we get a second chance and the love which society robbed us of. It is here where a handful of dedicated and loving mothers and fathers give up their time to give us the love and care we never had. It is here where I learnt not to be a victim of my circumstances. It was here where I was given the power to start building my future and to not be afraid to dream!”  Tsietsi Morobi

“This is still my home; I still come here because Kids Haven has created a life for me that I never thought I would ever have. Education is what I wanted most. I am a Social Worker at DSD thanks to Moira.”  Kentse Mowedi

“Kids Haven has taught me that I can be whoever I want to be and that it’s not so much what you have in your life but who.”  Russell Powell

“I lived at Kids Haven from December 2008- December 2011. Fear made me lie when I came to Kids Haven from Zimbabwe. Fear of being caught by the Police because I had no ID.  Kids Haven has done a lot for me. I came here as a person with no identity at all, but I completed grade 12. Thank you very much. I enjoyed socialising with people. Uncle Pat taught me how to play soccer. I also enjoyed the Presidential Awards. From being where I was in my life to now you have done more than any mother could.  Thank you.”  Themba Moyo

“What our children really need

Hand-outs don’t work; they create a culture of dependency, not one of entrepreneurship and self-help. Instead of hand outs, we need to build up leaders from within, individuals who have triumphed in spite of their circumstances. With support we can assist them to lead and inspire their friends and families to achieve their dreams.

Mothers are key figures for resilience in the face of hardship. A mother’s capacity to bond with her child encourages resilience. They can also buffer the effects of sexual violence, especially when they immediately address the circumstances integral to the molestation, believing what their child tells them and taking charge of the situation. When parents embody resilience, children cope well. Supportive family relationships give youth a sense that they are loved and belong.

Teachers also provide protective mechanisms in the community. Teachers who are fair, encouraging, helpful and caring make insecure or traumatised youths feel stronger. Schools provide a safe space to learn important life skills.

Communities need to provide youths with security and a sense of belonging and purpose in life. Values such as Ubuntu encourage resilience in children. If community leaders are prepared to speak out and provide support, countless children can still be saved. This is the ideal, what communities should be doing.

Behind all the despair and negativity, there are many inspirational individuals facilitating positive, lasting change by going to the root cause of society’s dysfunction and building up community leaders from within the heart of our most damaged communities.”  Moira Simpson

Hopeful about the future

Kids Haven is hopeful.  We are resilient.  We know that a key to building resilience is to just have one person who believes in you.  We have many!  Thank you to every single person who sends us messages of support, gives us a thumbs up on our Facebook page, sends us gifts of money, or approves grants to implement projects and donates goods, new and used, that we can use for our children and our community.  Our resilience-treasure chest is full.  For 28-years Kids Haven has been resilient to adapt in difficult circumstances and remain optimistic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has underlined just how resilient we can be – and also that we can never grow complacent and careless with the responsibility that we have.  There is always something around the corner that can give Kids Haven a little shake.  We are excited to be able to withstand these shakes and still offer new programmes and new opportunities to protect and care for children.  

Our new building projects

It is all systems go to build a new Education annex for our Bridging School programme alongside our community preschool.  This new building is funded by a long-standing international partner who met us way back in the early 1990’s and has continued to help Kids Haven in many ways over the years.  This building will provide four classrooms and a large multi-purpose room for our Bridging school in the morning and our homework classes and e-learning in the afternoon.  There is space for art and drama and chess and many other activities for children to shine.  

It also gives us extra room in our Big Boys’ Centre and will allow us to improve the dormitories and living areas for the boys living there.  Children in the Bridging programme will physically get to “go to school’ every day and practice the small steps that add up to going back into formal school one day.  

Alongside the Education Annex, Kids Haven has signed a lease with the Ekurhuleni Metro to develop a playground for our children living in care, and to create a Therapy Centre and Drop-In Centre for the community.  Kids Haven is grateful to the SA Muslim Charitable Trust, Discovery Vitality Volunteers, the US Embassy Ambassador’s self-help grant and Air Menzies International for being our partners in bringing these dreams to reality.

Both of these projects are ready to start and new walls will be going up shortly.  We also want to thank Multi-Waste for generously cleaning the filthy municipal car park before the building starts so that the playground is fit for the children immediately.

Our new and reviewed programmes of care.

Kids Haven kicked off our first meeting of incare and precare girls who are participating in our confidence-building programme to address Gender Based Violence on Saturday, 3 October.  There are 40 girls in this programme who are included in weekly groups starting with the basics of understanding how child neglect affects development and how the girls can exercise their rights and responsibilities to lead safe and empowered lives.  The programme is focused on hearing the girls’ voices and listening to what they have to say.  We look forward to an exhibition of their art and photography early next year.

What does it mean to be a girl child?  Our girls had this to say:

“To be valuable and to be special.  To be motivated at all times.  To be courageous and not to give up.”

“To respect yourself”  

“We will be mothers, we are the centre of the universe”

“Being compassionate, assertive and vulnerable.  We are diverse.  We are a beautiful creation.”

“To be true to yourself and to understand who you are and to stand up for yourself.”

“Being capable, strong and valuable.”