A recognisable scene on any normal day at any normal crèche. But this is Nazareth House and these little bodies already carry more emotional and physical scars than most people will suffer in a lifetime.
The stories of many of these children’s lives before they arrived at the sanctuary of Nazareth House are filled with the horrors of neglect, sexual, emotional and physical abuse, malnourishment and HIV.
A typical scenario is young Sipho (a pseudonym) who came to Nazareth House aged one, having spent most of his life in hospital - a victim of parental drug abuse and neglect.
Sipho was hospitalised when he was just six months old and remained there for almost a year. At which point the court ordered he be placed at Nazareth House, which has provided a home to abused, abandoned, terminally ill and severely disabled children, ever since The Sisters of Nazareth House travelled from London in 1881 at the invitation of the Bishop of Cape Town.
Nazareth House has ensured Sipho gets his daily medication and makes regular visits to the clinic. During an early session on the lawn beneath the palm trees, the occupational oherapist (OT) noticed Sipho’s toes curl up - as if walking on grass for the first time.A year down the line and he has undergone an incredible transformation.
Having reached developmental milestones and his healthcare needs well managed, the court ruled Sipho was ready to be placed in foster care and OT Ashleigh van Zyl was on hand to introduce Sipho to his new family. Social workers will continue to monitor his progress.
"We are so proud of Sipho," says Werner Laubscher, CEO of Nazareth House. "While we are sad to say goodbye to this gentle soul, we are so pleased to have been able to care for him and be a part of seeing him grow and develop."
Nazareth House has to raise R7.5-million a year to fund its operations in Cape Town. There are also homes in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Zimbabwe. Consider that 10 000 nappies lasts just a month and a half, and costs R120 000 per year, and to remove the used nappies costs R90 000 per year, you have a sense of the scale of the challenge.
“If we don’t receive donations we can’t function. It’s that simple,” says Laubscher.
Nazareth House has entered the age of digital fundraising this November and December, tapping into the global trend for using digital channels to provide better ways to generate donations online.
The 94 Children & You campaign runs across social media, email,
Google display network and SMS, and targets Canada, Europe and South Africa. It includes a new website,
www.94children.co.za, showcasing the amazing work Nazareth House does for the 94 children in its care.
"Every Rand, Pound and Dollar counts for us, and each person who donates is making a difference to these children’s lives” says Laubscher.
When it comes to making a difference, it’s the caregivers, singing to the little ones at play on lush lawns under the protective shade of Nazareth House’s palm trees, who hold the key to the door back to normality.
“I love them,” says Nancy, a caregiver. It’s a simple phrase, but possesses the power to transform a life.
To donate R20, SMS the number 94 to 40307.