A place for vulnerable children to call home
Mrs Welheminah Bodibe, the founder and director of the Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Centre, demonstrates passion and perseverance to her 30 years of success.
Mrs Welheminah Bodibe, the founder and director of the Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Centre, demonstrates passion and perseverance to her 30 years of success.
Child Welfare in desperate need of funding
She makes sure the children in their care don’t go to sleep without food or shelter.
Mrs Bodibe saw a need to start a welfare centre that benefited the community of Tembisa and other nearby areas.
Mrs Bodibe, who grew up as a foster child in the care of her granny, said she always wanted to help children.
“When both my parents died I had to look after my five siblings and it was hard. I never stopped studying regardless of the challenges,” she said.
Mrs Bodibe started to operate the welfare centre at the age of 33, together with other women who assisted in providing a home to vulnerable children from Tembisa.
Her success in the Tembisa Child and Welfare Family Centre has created opportunities for several Tembisans, securing jobs among other projects that also benefit the centre.
Mrs Bodibe is one of the women who won in the Vita Basadi Awards as a Woman of Honour, presented by the Honourable Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Ms Ntombi Mekgwe, in recognition of her commitment in serving the people of Gauteng.
She holds six diplomas in Bookkeeping, Human Resource, Child Care, Administration, Management and Sewing.
Mrs Bodibe also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Honours in Social Work and Masters in Mental Health.
Mrs Bodibe is a mom of four children, including two adopted orphans.
This 63 year-old-woman is also a wife to Professor Cecil Bodibe.
In the 30 years of its inception, the Tembisa Child Welfare Centre has given birth to a new shelter – the Phomolong Centre.
The Tembisa Child Welfare Centre caters for 85 abandoned, abused, neglected, lost and orphaned children regardless of those who were discharged. The Phomolong Centre caters for approximately 27 children.
“It is all by the grace of God. I am thankful to my family for where I am today and my supporters, staff, and community members who never lost hope. It was hard to climb the mountains and cross the rivers and yet we did it through passion and perseverance,” said Mrs Bodibe.
