High levels of unemployment, poverty, crime, domestic violence, substance abuse and HIV/AIDS in our province have a negative impact on families, resulting in high numbers of orphaned and vulnerable children.

South Africa is home to some 20 million children under the age of 18. Of these, 2.8 million are orphans and 58 000 live in child only households (families of siblings living together without adult care or supervision).

The Archdiocese of Durban runs an Orphaned & Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme at parish level, offering welfare and emotional support for children without parents at home. Our Streetwise rescue and rehabilitation project strives to reunite orphaned or abandoned street children with their extended families, or place them in good foster homes.

Children’s Homes

We run several children’s homes in Durban and the surrounding rural mission stations, including St Theresa’s, St Philomena’s, St John Vianney and Ekujabuleni (‘the place where you’ll find happiness’). These provide residential care and shelter for orphaned and abandoned children, and those found to be in need of care.

Most operate on small Government grants, together with limited public funding, and contribtutions towards the everyday needs of the children are always needed and gratefully accepted.

Siyathandwa (‘we are loved’) Drop-in Centres

On our rural Mission stations several Drop-in Centres have been established to support child only families. These children are encouraged to ‘drop-in’ at the Centre in the morning on their way to school for a nourishing breakfast – and again after school for a lunch time meal. In some instances, food assistance extends to parcels of tea, sugar, maize meal, rice and vegetables to complement the meals they receive at the Centres.

The Centres provide safe care and stimulation for younger children during the day, to enable their older siblings to continue attending school.

In the afternoons after school the older ones return to the centre, where they can get help with homework, as well as spiritual and emotional guidance and assistance with any problems that may arise.