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S H A R E |
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Langa KwaNobuhle Self-Help and Resource Exchange |
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Programmes… Lukhanyiso Home
Lukhanyiso Home was initiated by SHARE in 1991 as a result of the community outcry about street children in Uitenhage.
This is a social developmental welfare programme that caters for children in difficult circumstances - orphans, children of divorced/separated/alcoholic parents, abused and neglected, from very poor homes and at times children in conflict with law. The children’s court also uses Lukhanyiso Home as a place of safety for children.
The home opened its doors to 20 boys in August 1991 as a shelter. It was registered in 1994 as a Street Children Shelter and received a subsidy for 20 children. Between 1991 and 2002, the home served about 120 boys. In 2002, Lukhanyiso Home expanded its services to include girls from difficult circumstances. Currently, Lukhanyiso Home can accommodate 40-45 children at a time.
Although Lukhanyiso Home is registered as a shelter, it has always provided Children’s home services. Children live at Lukhanyiso Home, attend school, go to church and are cared for by a dedicated team of skilled care givers in a safe, warm and healthy environment. This team of skilled care givers is supported by a very effective skilled social work team and an efficient administrative team from the mother body, SHARE.
Lukhanyiso Home is the first township based children’s shelter/home in the Eastern Cape. It is housed within SHARE Community Development Complex, in KwaNobuhle. This complex is a former Single Men’s Hostel that was donated to SHARE by the local authority.
SHARE has, thus turned a symbol of oppression and family break up and turned it into a community building venture.
The home received a facelift in 2003 due to a generous contribution of VW workers from Germany who started a fundraising drive known as One Hour For the Future.
As SHARE is a community based organization, it recruits its skilled staff from the local community. SHARE especially draws from the wealth of experience of the retired but skilled professionals like school principals/teachers/ nurses that could assist with the day to day management and supervision at Lukhanyiso home.
The 40 children catered for at Lukhanyiso Home are therefore cared for by a team of 5 care workers, 1 manager/supervisor, 1 part time nurse and get professional support of 1 social worker, 2 social auxiliary workers and 1 administrative personnel who are all supervised by the SHARE Director.
Every child has a potential as a human being and therefore we concentrate in nurturing and developing that potential. The rights of children are respected and adhered to, at the same time we teach children that rights go hand in hand with responsibility and that they must learn to take full responsibility for their actions/decisions and their lives.
We insist on cleanliness and good personal hygiene. We believe that children need to learn to take good care of themselves, their personal belongings and the place where they live. We want them to exercise their right to dignity and self respect. Just because one is poor or from difficult circumstances does not mean one must live in squalor.
We are further focusing on the empowerment of the male children so that they can become self-sufficient individuals capable of looking after themselves and respecting girls and treating them as equals.
We are teaching our children to appreciate the fact that there is nothing for nothing in this world. It’s a give and take. We teach the children to know where they come from and to love and respect their family, and as such, every weekend and during school holidays children go home.
Children live at Lukhanyiso Home until circumstances at home improve or an alternative home is found. As we discharge each child, that one is replaced by another in need. |
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