So, what is the problem with children’s homes?
Did you know that even the best-run modern children’s home, can never be a replacement for family life? Everything can look perfect to the outside eye, but how is it r-e-a-l-l-y for the children growing up there? For many years, children’s homes were fully accepted globally and were seen as a good way to save children, with […]
DSD late and non-payments leave NPOs in dire straits
Article in South Coast Herald – 17 November 2023 The Department of Social Development (DSD) has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, again. The latest is the dire situation with NPOs, and Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCC), which, as of the time of writing, have not been paid. Again. There has […]
GCF Education – Changing lives
“I’m really happy being here. When I started in 2003, they asked me if I could consider staying for a long time, I said 3 years, but 3 years was extended to 18…” Thembi Gumede laughs when she tells how her story with GCF started. After 10 years as a teacher in Governmental schools, she […]
GCF Education – Happy Days School
Meet Nonkazimulo Mavundla. In October, she celebrates her seventh year as a Teacher Assistant at GCF’s Happy Days School. While she’s part of a dedicated education team at the centre, her primary responsibility is caring for children aged 3 to 4, including those with special needs. Nonkazimulo’s passion for her work is evident in her […]
The Essential Role of Parents in Child Development
Introduction At GCF, we have always championed the importance of family life for children. Our mission is to ensure that childhood is not spent in Child and Youth Care Centres, devoid of the enriching experiences of family. Children under our care often return to rehabilitated families, and those who cannot are placed in approved foster […]
Nurturing Hope: A Guide to Becoming a Foster Parent with GCF
Introduction If you’ve been following GCF’s journey, you’re likely aware of our Foster Care Programme—a vital initiative born from the recognition that children often spend too much time in Child and Youth Care Centres, missing out on the stability and love that a family environment provides. We believe that every child deserves a chance to […]
Parenting 4 Life
Have you thought about how often something has a ripple effect on something else? If it is empowering and positive it can be amazing to follow, if only from a distance. Give a Child a Family Africa (GCF) has been running the updated parenting skills programme, Parenting 4 Life, since the end of last year, […]
What do they go home to?
Sjoe, it’s sobering to be in such a place as Bhambayi, thinking of the challenges, concerns, and fears its people live with daily. Today, I was surrounded by the brave women of our society, in an area that houses 75,000 living in makeshift housing. It is the second week GCF Africa runs Empowering Victims in […]
The Importance of Safety Parents
Imagine this. Your phone rings at the most inconvenient time. You recognise the number and know immediately that you must answer. You are needed now! A social worker is on the other side of the line telling you that a baby is at risk and has been removed from the mother. The question you know […]