SAKHUMZI Children's Care Centre

Welcome to the Sakhumzi Children's Care Centre Home Page
Sakhumzi is a Non-profit Organization which provides a home for destitute children in the Mfuleni area, a township 25 km east of Cape Town. Its humble beginnings originated 35 years ago when Amelia Poswa took in her first homeless child. Almost immediately Sakhumzi took on a life of its own as more and more abandoned children found their way into Mama's Amelia's home and Mama Amelia's heart. Over the years many hundreds of children have been provided with more than just the basics of food, shelter, clothing and education. They have been blessed with the love, guidance and attention that's so essential to growing children if they're to lead normal, healthy lives and become productive members of society. “What makes me happy," says Mama Amelia, "is to see a safe, happy child. My calling is to look after children because that child is the future. At the time I never knew it would go on for so long. I started with just a few and in no time there were 15, 20 – just as if it was waiting for someone to say ‘I can do that!’. “There are so many children on the streets with no place to go, where they can learn to care for each other. What will the world be like in the coming generations?” Well, In a society where violence and rape, child abuse and murder are a daily occurrence, we need look no further to answer that question; today's abused children are potentially tomorrow's abusers. “When a child comes here from a broken family, where the mother doesn’t want her, the other children welcome her. We know what that child is going through. That child needs someone to take the place of her parents, who can give her a home, with brothers and sisters that can cuddle her and help her forget about what happened and get on with life. In no time the child is calling me Mama and feels at home. "Once they finish their schooling, some of our children remain at Sakhumzi to help with the day-to-day running of our home; cooking, cleaning, maintaining, caring for the youngsters, etc., while others attend local career training colleges, if and when sufficient funds are available for this. Some are fortunate enough to obtain employment soon after leaving school, but jobs are scarce and the unemployment rate in South Africa is very high. No child leaves Sakhumzi until he or she can fend for themselves". Today, Sakhumzi provides a loving home for 95 children and a crèche for almost 150 preschoolers. Sakhumzi relies on the goodwill of generous benefactors and on the proceeds of fund-raising. To learn more about Sakhumzi, and the remarkable woman who is the heart and soul of this organization, please follow the links on this page. © 2005 all rights reserved

SAKHUMZI Children's Care Centre

Welcome to the Sakhumzi Children's Care Centre Home Page

Sakhumzi is a Non-profit Organization which provides a home for destitute children in the Mfuleni area, a township 25 km east of Cape Town. Its humble beginnings originated 35 years ago when Amelia Poswa took in her first homeless child. Almost immediately Sakhumzi took on a life of its own as more and more abandoned children found their way into Mama's Amelia's home and Mama Amelia's heart.

Over the years many hundreds of children have been provided with more than just the basics of food, shelter, clothing and education. They have been blessed with the love, guidance and attention that's so essential to growing children if they're to lead normal, healthy lives and become productive members of society.

“What makes me happy," says Mama Amelia, "is to see a safe, happy child. My calling is to look after children because that child is the future. At the time I never knew it would go on for so long. I started with just a few and in no time there were 15, 20 – just as if it was waiting for someone to say ‘I can do that!’.

“There are so many children on the streets with no place to go, where they can learn to care for each other. What will the world be like in the coming generations?” Well, In a society where violence and rape, child abuse and murder are a daily occurrence, we need look no further to answer that question; today's abused children are potentially tomorrow's abusers.

“When a child comes here from a broken family, where the mother doesn’t want her, the other children welcome her. We know what that child is going through. That child needs someone to take the place of her parents, who can give her a home, with brothers and sisters that can cuddle her and help her forget about what happened and get on with life. In no time the child is calling me Mama and feels at home.

"Once they finish their schooling, some of our children remain at Sakhumzi to help with the day-to-day running of our home; cooking, cleaning, maintaining, caring for the youngsters, etc., while others attend local career training colleges, if and when sufficient funds are available for this. Some are fortunate enough to obtain employment soon after leaving school, but jobs are scarce and the unemployment rate in South Africa is very high. No child leaves Sakhumzi until he or she can fend for themselves".

Today, Sakhumzi provides a loving home for 95 children and a crèche for almost 150 preschoolers. Sakhumzi relies on the goodwill of generous benefactors and on the proceeds of fund-raising. To learn more about Sakhumzi, and the remarkable woman who is the heart and soul of this organization, please follow the links on this page.