sithabile child & youth care centre

Our BeliefOur Belief

There is an age-old saying amongst Africans; that no child is unwanted because each one is a celebration of life. At Sithabile we welcome every child with this in mind; knowing each child will, through their life, make an impact on their environment as a full participant and not a victim.

Sithabile Child & Youth Care CentreSithabile Child & Youth Care Centre

`Sithabile’ is a Zulu word for `we are happy’

Sithabile Child & Youth Care CentreSithabile Child & Youth Care CentreHistory

• SC&YCC was established in 1994.• It was started by Thabisile Msezane, a

trained teacher and trauma counselor.

• On December 20,2000, 3M South Africa made funds available to purchase the present SC&YCC property at Benoni which is approximately 50 kilometers from central Johannesburg, South Africa

Between 1994 and 2000, the centre operated at Thabisile’s own residence

Aim•The SC&YC is a place where youngsters can reclaim their childhood, learn to play and for the youth to look forward to a future with hope.

Sithabile Child & Youth Care CentreSithabile Child & Youth Care CentreMission

Key Activities

To provide a home for children in distress in a caring environment through counseling and education for children and their families to foster rehabilitation and positive outcomes for communities.

*Pre-school children are provided with school readiness skills in a joint program with the Wesley Methodist Church in Daveyton*The young children attend the local primary schools – Daveyton Intermediate, Moshoeshoe Primary & Sphumele Primary Schools*High Schools targeted to the children’s strengths – Arts high school, Technical high school & academic high school* Advocacy and awareness raising activities – child labour, commercial sexual exploitation of children, human trafficking and victim empowerment*A women’s program to provide family planning, HIV/AIDS awareness, sewing skills and basic health and nutrition guidance*Daily general counseling for the children


• SC&YCC’s current premises are housed in several building on a small 5 hectare plot;

• The buildings include the main house, a dormitory for the young girls, a dormitory for the boys, a kitchen with a dining hall and small cottages;

• We have a vegetable garden that helps feed the children all year round.

One of the unique features of Sithabile is that it is a children’s home run as a family:

• The mum (Thabisile) and dad (Solly) `directors’ of the SC&YCC;

• The big sister (Nandi) works as the `assistant director’ – operations manager fund raiser & youth liaison and projects manager;

• 3 `house mothers’- prepare meals and look after the children etc;

• The older children always lend a helping hand to help the little ones, cook, clean the home or be a ready ear for someone having a bad day

• Several volunteers who come and go intermittently.

The Premises Staff

The ChildrenThe Children

• Currently there are 75 children resident at the centre, between the ages of 8 months and 21 years old.

• All the children attend school from pre-school through to university.

• Our children participate in various sports such as soccer, netball, drum majorettes and swimming.

• We also have dancers, musicians including marimba players & a trumpet

• Our young people are involved in raising awareness on human trafficking, child labour, HIV and AIDS and other issues affecting young people


Besides individuals, the following are companies & organisations, that have consistently assisted the SC&YCC:

• 3 M South Africa – funded the purchase of the SCY&CC property;

• Clientele Life -sponsors transport to school for children, older student’s college and university expenses, utility expenses and general needs;

• Greater Allen Cathedral N.Y.- built the girls & boys dormitories, donates medicines, stationary & clothes and has an Adopt a child program;

• Woolworths- food;• Kingsmead College – `ecocircle’ in the gardens,

clothes, groceries & in many varied ways• Airport Sun Inter-Continental Hotel- cutlery,

cockery, cooking equipment, linen, annual Christmas party;

• Protea Transit Hotel – towels & clothes

In the past the following organizations have assisted us;• African Diplomatic Women’s Group -bought zozos

(wooden cottages), fridges, sponsored first college education candidate;

• Benoni Rotary Club – skills and various in-kind services;

• Buddhist, Nan Hau Temple- blankets, toys and food;• Canada Fund- bought Zozo structures, oven, sewing

machines, funds for projects, built bathrooms;• De Beers Consolidated Mines – sponsors parties for

children once a year;• Department of Agriculture –a small irrigation

system;• End Child Prostitution Pornography & Trafficking

for Sexual Purposes – donation for school uniforms, training of young people on advocacy and peer counseling, staff training;

• International Organization for Migration- support the Young People’s Program;

• John & Kernick –Parties & Christmas presents for the children;

• Volunteers- teach preschool children ,bookkeeping, documentary of children’s achievements. There have been medical doctors who have volunteered their services on an adhoc basis. They have come from The Netherlands, Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Korea, Switzerland, France Australia , Norway;

Our champions

Sithabile Child & Youth Care CentreSithabile Child & Youth Care CentrePROGRAMMESPROGRAMMES

• The Sithabile Film and Television Workshop Series is endorsed by working industry groups and individuals who believe that the secure future of motion picture production in South Africa requires a highly trained and safety aware local work force.

• Our Mission:• 1. We aim to provide the highest level

of safety and skills training to the developing film and television production industry.

• 2. It is our belief that working professionals and their professional associations, groups and companies must commit their resources, experience and time to train and cross-train the South African production work force, providing a bridge between Universities, Colleges, Film Schools and industry.

• 3. We are committed to assisting in the professional placement and continuing employment of our workshop attendees and assisting them on a continual path of secure, professional growth.

• 4. It is our intent to instill in our attendees and staff the values of personal and professional commitment to our crafts, loyalty to each other, and a commitment of personal responsibility for the growth and welfare of our production community.

The Work Experience Program provides on-the-job training (i.e. on a working film set) to eligible candidates. In addition to coordinating the selection and placement of trainees, the Sithabile Coordinator is also responsible for monitoring and evaluating the training experience.All training must be approved by the production company, the department, and the appropriate labour organization

Sithabile Child & Youth Care CentreSithabile Child & Youth Care CentreFurniture Wonders a project of Sithabile Child & Youth Care

Center provides an outstanding and first class carpentry service to both domestic and commercial customers.

Services include a wide variety of building maintenance, repairs and installations as well as larger projects such as house renovations, extensions, and conservatories, etc

Work can be 'supplied and fitted' or on a 'fit only' basis - the choice is yours so feel free to contact us for a no obligation quote.

We hold good relationships with other qualified tradesmen (i.e. brick/block work, plastering and electrics) so no matter how big or small the job you can rest assured


Sithabile is indeed where compassion and passion meet to give children back their childhood.

The achievements of our children over the past years have made us really proud as we remember all the struggles we have collectively faced over the years from trying to get them into school to getting them to speak up about issues which affect their lives locally and internationally.

It’s a long way from the day, fifteen years ago, when Thabisile looked into the eyes of a destitute six year old farm-worker’s son whom she thought needed her compassion and assistance; only to meet a young person with such a passion to attend school that he invited his friends to find the lady who would arrange for him and his buddies to go to school.


• 1997- Children first let into mainstream / formal education

• 1998- Jerry was the South African representative for the Global March Against Child Labour

• 1999- Deputy Prime Minister of Canada visited the centre and project

• 2000- First group of first graders started school

• 2000- Celebrated the purchase and moving into the present property

• 2001-Formal opening of the our gardening project by the MEC of Agriculture Mary Metcalfe

• 2002- The Canadian First Lady visited the centre and project.

• 2003- Launching of Youth Ending Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

• 2004- Two oldest boys started our first traineeship.

• The birth of our first baby born at SC&YCC

• Our oldest boy celebrated his 21st birthday.

• Ten Years of SC&YCC

Celebrations


The children at Sithabile believe in giving back to neighbouring communities as they know the value of receiving.

• Every Christmas the children with the staff at the Center take presents and a meal to the informal settlements and RDP community around Cloverdene

• Our children go to hospitals and children’s hospices to distribute toys and to spend time with children who are in need.

• Every year during the Global Campaign for Education the children take school bags to children in different disadvantaged communities around Gauteng

Out Reach


The needs at Sithabile are many, but every contribution does make a difference. You can assist by:

• Donating food as this is our biggest ongoing and most pressing need.

• Clothing for all ages, particularly underwear

• art materials, books, fabric – for various art projects like card, bead and bag making

• Furnishings in particular beds• The home is in need of refurbishment—

paint, bricks, cupboards and building materials are all required

• Garden equipment, a lawn mower, vegetable seeds and fruit trees will assist greatly in enabling Sithabile to become more self-sufficient

• Excursions for the children are a great treat—a visit to the zoo, movies or other recreational activities are greatly appreciated.

• Arts Equipment—musical instruments, canvases, paint, brushes, dance clothes

• Skills Training—Computers, carpentry, jewellery making, hairdressing, construction

• Service—We are always in need of volunteers who are willing to assist with administration, teaching the younger children, providing medical care, accounting, skills training and general maintenance around the center

• Transportation—We need a car for taking sick children to the hospital, a minibus to take children to school and on outings

• Cash donations may be paid directly into the Sithabile account: Sithabile Child & Youth Care Center, Nedbank Germiston, Acc #: 1547006277

How you can help!


We always welcome visitors to the Center and encourage potential donors to come and identify for themselves an area where they

feel their contribution will make the most difference

Welcome !

25 van Ryn Road cnr Putfontein RoadCloverdene, Benoni East

Tel/Fax: TELKOM cables have been stolen for almost a yearMobile: 079 923 0236

Email: [email protected]

sithabile child & youth care centre

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