Youth month – daring to dream

The Month of June is celebrated as “Youth Month” in South Africa, in remembrance of the massacre of school children during the Soweto Uprising of 1976. The purpose of this time includes paying tribute to the brave young people that took a stand against inequality in our country. Its also a time for us to reflect on the resilience of our youth of today.  The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the dreams of many of our youth.  They have had to face the challenges of having their social life curtailed, adjusting to on-line studies, in many cases putting their studies on hold and facing an uncertain future.

To commemorate Youth Month at our centre we had a special Youth Day Celebration and over the past weekend we conducted an interactive session with our young people about ‘daring to dream’. We were so impressed and encouraged to receive their positive responses despite of all the challenges that have been presented to them during this time. These were some of their responses (Names have been changed to protect their identity):


 Please share your dream with us.

Sam (15) – “I want to be a farmer cause when you are a farmer you do things by your own hands. Most people do not choose this career, because they are lazy. I choose this dream to change lives by doing agriculture in this country.”

Thabo (16) – “I want to be a TV presenter and Rapper.”

Zion (12) – “I want to be a pilot.”

Yanga (15) – “I want to be an artist and a R&D Scientist.”

  • Despite the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, please share with us how you have remained positive and focused on achieving your dream?

Sam (15) – “I remained positive, because I always tell myself that God has plans for me.”

Thabo (16) – “Keep writing lyrics, practise and focus on your dreams.”

Zion (12) – “By wearing your mask and sanitising.”

Yanga (15) – “I want to have my own style and make my own vibe, create my own fashion designs and make my own brands. I want to travel the world. As I travel and figure out and understand the world and make it better for society. I’ll rap and have strict time management. I’ll have to study many terms of studies to be a R&D Scientist. I must be patient and not lose hope.”

  • If you had a chance to motivate other young people to believe in their dreams, what would you say to them?

Sam (15) – “Live your life for you, be yourself. Remember where you came from. You make yourself. Think before you do.”

Thabo (16)) – “Focus on what you want.”

Zion (12) – “Focus on your dream and education. Never give up!”

Yanga (15) – “Start your dreams young and think big of it and progress then you will know where you are going.”

As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  We are encouraged to know that we do have young people in our care, daring to dream and not just that, but also believing and working towards making their dreams become a reality. Our hope is that the youth of today will rise above the present-day challenges with the same spirit as those who went before them. There is hope for the future generation. A generation of dreamers!

Stolen school bus replaced – thanks to IQRAA Trust

Stolen school bus replaced – thanks to IQRAA Trust

School bus

When our school bus, donated to us in 2017 by the IQRAA Trust, was stolen from our property last October, we were devastated. Having a safe and reliable vehicle to transport our children on daily basis is one of our top priorities.

Despite having security measures in place – the vehicle was parked in a locked garage within our fully fenced property with electric gate access – thieves still managed to steal it! We opened a case with the SAPS, and the tracking company made every effort to recover the vehicle, but sadly, it has never been found.

We felt terrible having to inform the Trustees of the IQRAA Trust that the vehicle had been stolen, but it was the right thing to do. Dr Baker was so understanding. To our delight, he invited us to submit an application for funding towards the shortfall on the cost of a new vehicle.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the IQRAA Trust for their financial contribution of R75 000 towards a new school bus. Together with the insurance payout and funding from other sources, their contribution enabled us to buy a brand new school bus for our children.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine …

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine …

We all know the importance of saving for a rainy day. But when funds are stretched to the limit, it’s just not possible.

That is why we launched the Sunshine Campaign – our rainy day emergency fund. Thank you to all those who have joined already. You are like a ray of sunshine and hope in our Home, getting us through the long, dark and dreary days of Covid-19. Your kindness helped get us through lockdowns, disruptions in schooling, financial hardship and social isolation.

If you haven’t joined yet and would still like to be a part of our Sunshine Campaign, please email nicolette@dch.org.za for more info.

You light up our hearts

You light up our hearts

Maintaining five buildings, four of which are over a hundred years old, is near impossible when you also have 74 children to take care of. There just aren’t enough hours in the day!

Thankfully we have loyal service providers who help keep our Home in tip top condition.

T/C Electrical is one such service provider. They have taken care of all our electrical maintenance requirements for the past ten years! Owner Tony Erasmus and his son Jesse, together with their team,  are kind enough to give our work priority … even over weekends and public holidays.

Their heart for children led to them offering their service, and it’s what keeps them committed to our cause.

Tony, Jesse and the T/C Electrical team – thanks for keeping our lights on, geysers full of hot water, and our children safe, by making sure our electrical connections are safe and fully operational.

The Pinnacle of support

The Pinnacle of support

Pinnacle Human Capital Consultants

Most households will understand the importance of a tumble dryer, especially in winter when the sun just doesn’t have the power to get all the clothes, bedding and towels dry quickly enough. With 74 children in our care, you can imagine what our laundry baskets look like!

So, when our tumble dryer finally packed up after many, many years of service we were distraught. The cost of getting it fixed was the same as a brand new machine … both options requiring finances we simply don’t have available.

We were so relieved when Pinnacle Human Capital Consulting contacted us to offer their support. Thanks to their generosity, we now have a brand new tumble dryer, which is already working hard to ensure the children have clean dry laundry every day.

Thank you Pinnacle Human Capital Consulting!