Arcadia shelter gives more than shelter
A shelter for the homeless in Arcadia recently celebrated their 20th year in existence. Their founder still lives at the shelter and is celebrated for his vision.
In the heart of Arcadia, Homeless Solutions has quietly and consistently been rewriting the story of homelessness for two decades.
Founded by Danie Horn in 2005, this life-changing shelter has grown from humble beginnings into a sanctuary of hope.
This year, the organisation celebrated its 20th anniversary, a milestone that marks not just years, but the thousands of lives it has touched.
“Some wounds do not just need time. They need community, care, and compassion to truly heal,” said Sechaba Potse, the current manager of Homeless Solutions.
His leadership, grounded in lived experience, is nothing short of inspiring, according to the residents at the shelter.
Potse’s journey is deeply intertwined with the shelter’s mission.
After losing his job in Mamelodi’s security sector, he found himself without a home or direction.
Like many, he arrived at Homeless Solutions with little more than a heavy heart and a hopeful spirit.
Yet from the very beginning, Potse poured his soul into the work, and his dedication was quickly noticed, and soon he took on responsibilities that matched his skills and passion.
Recognising his potential, the organisation sponsored him to pursue college-level studies in office administration. He graduated in 2011 and has since been an integral part of Homeless Solutions’ leadership team.
“I am happy here because I get to live out my passion to help people,” Sechaba shared. “This is more than work. It is personal. I was once on the other side, and now I get to give back.”
Homeless Solutions currently houses 25 individuals, but its impact goes far beyond simply offering a roof overhead.
Residents receive daily meals, assistance with critical documents like ID applications, medical attention and, most importantly, a dignified pathway back into society.
“We provide the infrastructure for people to live, eat, and go out to work,” said Sechaba. “It’s essential to shield them from the elements that can worsen their health. Recently, the Department of Health even visited to administer flu vaccines to our elderly residents.”
Horn, who is still living on the premises in Arcadia, knows the pain of homelessness firsthand.
“In 2001, I hit rock bottom and became homeless. I worked as a gardener, a labourer. Anything to survive,” he recounted. “But I never lost hope. And when I realised that others shared the same longing for dignity, I knew I had to do something.”
With the support of long-time friend Stephanie Mare, he officially launched Homeless Solutions in June 2005.
“People ask me why I started this organisation. My answer is simple: I wanted to help myself and others break the cycle.”
Today, the need is greater than ever.
With 18.1% of South Africa’s homeless population residing in Pretoria, the demand for compassionate, holistic services is on the rise, and the organisation faces tough challenges.
“We do not have an electricity connection from the metro,” Sechaba explained. “Water leaks are also slow to be fixed by the metro, which makes our day-to-day operations more difficult.”
Despite the hurdles, Homeless Solutions continues to forge ahead.
A BackaBuddy campaign is currently underway to raise R500 000, a goal that could expand their services dramatically.
The funding will be used as follows:
– R200 000 to upgrade and expand shelter capacity
– R150 000 to develop training programmes
– R100 000 for job placement and mentorship initiatives
– R50 000 for outreach campaigns.
They aim to house 50 more individuals and train 100 people, with a target of at least 70% job placement success.
Corporate and community support has been crucial to the organisation.
On Mandela Day, SPAR, in partnership with Rekord’s sales team, donated blankets through their My SPAR My Community campaign.
“SPAR is proud to support organisations like Homeless Solutions. We believe in bringing warmth and hope where it is needed most. At our core, we are about inspiring people to do more, give more, and be more,” a statement read.
How You Can Help
Homeless Solutions urgently needs the following items to support their beneficiaries:
– Baby essentials for a family with a 7-month-old boy (diapers size 3 or 4, baby milk/formula)
– Non-perishable foods: tinned goods, margarine, spices, jam, soft porridge, sugar
– Clean drinking water in 5-litre bottles
– Basic medical items: painkillers, bandages, antiseptics
– Toiletries: especially sanitary pads
For more information or to get involved, contact 065 843 9050 or visit www.homelesssolutions.org.za.
You can donate to this cause at the BackaBuddy campaign: https://l1nq.com/F5jK8
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
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