West home helps less-fortunate mothers
The Eleos Early Childhood Development Centre in Market Street might seem like another house on the outside, but on the inside it has become a beacon of hope to many.
For 21 years, a centre in the west of Pretoria has aimed to help less fortunate mothers in the area.
Eleos Early Childhood Development Centre in Market Street might seem like a regular house from the outside, but on the inside it has become a beacon of hope to many.
Centre spokesperson Clariza Botha said they focus their work in Booysens and Claremont.
“The people of this community not only struggle to obtain the bare essentials, but are also burdened with enormous financial, physical, emotional and mental challenges,” she said.
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“We build relationships, regardless of race and culture.”
She said Eleos is a faith-based non-profit organisation (NPO) and upholds Christian values.
“We aim to practise non-remedial, holistic planned interventions, strongly associated with prevention, primary care and community upliftment,” she said.
Eleos is the Greek word that means “Mercy in Action”.
That is what a group of woman from the east of Pretoria started to do.
“In August 1998, the group visited a playgroup in Booysens. The desperate need and struggle of the children touched the women in such a way that they immediately decided to get actively involved,” Botha said.
“They not only realised how many families lived in dire need of basic essentials, but that social upliftment and ongoing projects were needed to make a difference in the children’s lives.”
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She said that over the years, various community projects were launched, focusing on the family as a whole.
“A community centre in Wilhelm Street and an early childhood development home in Market Street soon became beacons of hope for many destitute families.”
Eleos also has two after-school care facilities allocated close to the primary schools.
“We believe in empowering a community to help themselves and strive to demonstrate love and compassion to a deprived community and address their physical, emotional and spiritual needs and wellbeing,” she said.
“Our main objective is to care for and assist less fortunate children and their families through the facilitation of early intervention and social welfare programmes.”
She said that all their activities and workshops are aimed at providing the necessary skills, tools and confidence in order to implement change and a better future.
Last Thursday, the home not only gave but also received.
“We kicked the day off with a prayer session with local artist, Andries Vermeulen,” Botha said.
“He also encouraged all our women.”
She said about 20 women from the east of Pretoria joined them on the day.
“Andries later joined us in the kitchen to help bake cookies, which he also helped distribute at our after-school projects,” she said.
Eleos was also visited by Biotronic, a company that previously provided Eleos with care packs, milk and nappies.
For more information about Eleos or to get involved, visit www.eleos.co.za.
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