The staff at Girls and Boys Town are continuing their efforts to protect and heal our heartbroken children.
This was the message at a special event at the organisation’s Macassar campus on Tuesday, where donors had the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the mission of Girls and Boys Town.
The “Tea and Tour” function provided insights into admissions, therapeutic and healing programmes were explained, and their successes in creating safe spaces for children to thrive and develop into valuable citizens were highlighted.
Senior care worker Joe Chambal says from the moment a child walks through their doors, they should feel safe.
The child is placed on a two-week observation schedule, and then a treatment plan is drafted.
All the laaities are enrolled at schools across the City. The Macassar campus has 50 boys between the ages of 11 and 18-years-old and they are solely dependent on donations.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who was also in attendance, says that a small contribution was made to Girls and Boys Town by the mayor’s discretionary fund.
Children can only be placed at the facilities via court order. This is usually only for two years, but can continue until they turn 18.
Geordin says: “These are the young children who had a tougher start to life, but this doesn’t mean that they have any less potential than you and I. This organisation has a wonderful history of giving them a chance in life.”
Former resident Sipho Njengezi, 23, told his story.saying: “I joined the programme in 2012. I have learned a lot of skills in my time here, the journey has been positive and negative.
“I’m proud to be one of those boys from Girls and Boys Town, and I’m trying to help and donate to assist the next generation.”
byron.lukas@inl.co.za