A first-ever bush visit for our boys
Into the bush they headed to spot animals for the very first time!
Thanks to a wonderful donor four of our primary-school-age boys headed to Mabula to spend a few nights in the bush. Sam, our CEO, went with them and what fun they had. Bundling up for chilly morning and night game drives in a Landy, day-time swims, sleeping in a lodge and having quality time with Sam made it all a super special experience. They even had a warthog visit their lodge! And took photos together – through the glass window of course!
“These experiences are life-changing for our children,” says Sam. “It teaches them about caring for our world and to appreciate this beautiful country we live in. But it also gives them an experience that many other families experience – a holiday in the bush. They were so well behaved and enjoyed every moment. I also got time to really talk to the boys individually and gather insights into their struggles and joys. I extend a sincere thank you to the donor that gave us this holiday and to the people at Mabula for welcoming us so warmly.”
Holidays to the beach, bush or mountains are incredible experiences for our children. Have you got timeshare somewhere that you could donate to Kids Haven? Could you cover the costs of a holiday experience or offer us your holiday home for a short stay? We would be so grateful. Please contact hello@kidshaven.co.za and change a child’s life.
Moira Simpson, our founder who started Kids Haven in 1992, also attended. Her life’s work is to see children protected, loved and offered a fighting chance in the world. And here they were, the people who had directly benefitted from that passion and vision. They hugged her, thanked her and shared their stories.
It is important for us to always reconnect with our former children. They give hope to our current children. They show them that perseverance and resilience are possible. That new starts are possible. They encourage all the staff at Kids Haven to keep going. That we are making an impact.
As supporters of Kids Haven, you are a part of their story too. Without your generosity, Kids Haven could not keep going. You are making an impact. You are telling these children and young adults that they matter and have a place in our world. Thank you. If you are not yet a monthly donor, please consider becoming one. No amount is too small. Being able to count on a monthly income means we can budget and allocate funds to where we need them.
Children are our greatest treasure – Mandela Day 17/18 July
Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future – Nelson Mandela
How will you be commemorating Mandela Day this year?
Please support Kids Haven! There are so many ways in which you can get involved with us.
Take a look…
Please get in touch if you would like to do anything different and we will be happy to arrange – hello@kidshaven.co.za.
Celebrating our Father figures
Around 43–45% of children in South Africa live only with their mothers, highlighting the prevalence of single-mother households in the country (Statistics South Africa, 2024; South Africa Today, 2025).
Children need both mother and father figures in their lives. We feel very grateful that the children at Kids Haven have so many father figures who support them, love them, care for them and guide them.
This month we celebrated all our father figures. The children baked milk tarts, cakes and made pizza for their Kids Haven dads and uncles. They wrote beautiful notes and shared kind words. The boys from the Teen Hub enjoyed a special day doing an empowerment workshop and the bigger boys got to spend quality time with the Uncles.
We say a big and sincere thank you to all the men who have stepped up to be fathers to our children. Thank you for all you do in their lives. For being role models, setting boundaries and showing them how responsible men can lead in our communities. We appreciate you.
Stepping up to help families get documented
Recently our CEO, Sam, went to Lesotho with an undocumented mother who is very unwell. Her family of five children and three grandchildren are also stateless – no paperwork to verify their names and nationality. The Kids Justice team has been assisting the family to secure repatriation certificates and providing the family with resource support, and making connections with the chief to complete their verification.
We believe in making a difference one person and one family at a time. Every person matters.
If you believe this is where you could make a difference, please get in touch. We need monthly donors to help us continue this important work. Please sign up now by clicking on this page: Donate Monthly – Kidshaven. It is a quick process that is highly beneficial to Kids Haven. Thank you for your support.
We need help dismantling desks
A donor has kindly offered to give us an office-worth of desks which will be very handy for our children. But we need to dismantle them so we can move them to Kids Haven. We need capable people with electric screwdrivers to assist us in dismantling the desks from 12-15 July at a property in Sloane Street, Bryanston.
If you can assist please email Susan on sued@kidshaven.co.za.
Sign up for our Golf Day
We are hosting our annual Golf Day on 29 October at Parkview Golf Club. Please sign up your four-balls today and book your spot. We are also looking for sponsors and prizes. Email events@kidshaven.co.za and help us make this day a great success for Kids Haven.
