Mseleni Children’s Home

The child carers of the Mseleni Children’s Home learnt about being a child friendly adult at the Today for Tomorrow workshop. What they learnt helps them in their work with the children.  They use the games for their afternoon activities. This really increased the fun kids and carers have with each other.

 

They are now waiting for the translated Zulu curricula so that they can also start teaching the lessons.

Mseleni Children’s Home – SIM Project # 87330

South Africa is home to many children who have been abused or abandoned. Sufficient care for these children is limited and not available from the government in the rural area of Mseleni, in the north-east of South Africa. This leaves many children with trauma. They need special care to help them deal with the problems arising out of the abuse.

Up to 40 children are in the care of the Home. They are cared for from birth to 18 years of age (or 21 years if they are still in school), and care is often extended in some way into adult life.

The children live in “cottage units” – the boys and girls have their own units. The idea is to create a family atmosphere. There is 24 hour residential care, provided by the Christian child care workers.

All children attend therapeutic and activity groups and psycho-social workshops to enable them to deal positively with trauma, develop self-esteem and a sense of self-worth. This will help them to reintegrate into their community, and it also helps them in leading fulfilled lives. The children are also involved in the greater live of the community. In the Home they experience the love of God through the care experienced.

Happy little girl with care worker.

There is an active reunification program aiming to place the children back into the community if this is in the best interests of the child. Some of the children are physically handicapped. They would not be able to attend school at all without the facilities offered by the Home. The aim is to raise the children in the love and discipline of the Lord in such a way that each child grows as much as she/he is able in every way (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually).

The Home is registered with the Department of Social Development. The government pays subsidies for each child but these are not sufficient to offer appropriate care and education at the home. Donations are used to improve the children’s lives for example through therapeutic or activity groups, fun outings, birthday celebrations, new equipment, toys sometimes a bicycle to name a few. Those who move into adult life or into tertiary education often are in need of a hand until they are fully settled.

for more information: www.mseleni.co.za

visiting wild cats – Dec 2010