Pretoria North youth centre nurtures children to believe in brighter futures

Gracia Children’s Home, also known as Gracia Child and Youth Care Centre, is more than just a shelter; it is a haven where brokenness is met with love, and every child is reminded that they are worthy of a future filled with hope in Pretoria North.

The story of Gracia began in 2009 when the home first opened its doors to the elderly who were living on the streets, offering them shelter, food, and safety.

Over time, young mothers with children also sought refuge at the home, and soon it became clear that the need to ensure the children received proper schooling and care was essential.

“They took their home and made it into a children’s home, and that is where Gracia started,” explained Anna-Marie Laubscher, who helps run the centre.

From the very beginning, the vision was to not only house children but to raise them as their own.

Laubscher said children were brought to the home where they were bathed, fed, and bedded, and they were also placed in school.

She said they were raised as their own – sport, culture, education, love, care, and safety became the priority and passion for these children.

Gracia remains committed to giving every child the chance to thrive. Whether through academics, sport or cultural activities, the children are nurtured to believe that they are worthy and have a future.

The 87 children currently at Gracia range in age from four to 19, and they remain in the home until they complete their matric if they are still in school.

Many arrive at the home after experiencing financial hardship, abuse, neglect, or, in some cases, far worse.

“Children placed here at Gracia come with a court order. That means they have been removed from heartbroken situations, either financial disability, abuse, sexual conduct or the worst nightmare you can think of,” she said.

Trudie Henderson, CEO of the youth centre, said to make the transition easier, each child is received with warmth and kindness.

Laubscher said life at the centre resembles that of a large family as the mornings start early with breakfast, brushing teeth, combing hair, and grabbing lunchboxes before heading off to school.

She said after school, the children change, eat lunch, and get straight into homework or test preparation.

“Afternoons are filled with play, followed by bath time, dinner, and finally bedtime. We try to treat our home as a normal home, just in bulk,” said Laubscher.

According to her, the children thrive in extracurricular activities, with many excelling at provincial and national levels.

“We have two Blue Bulls players, A-team players in netball, softball, rugby, and ringball.

“We have Gauteng-North players in ringball, SA players, captains, and players of the tournament. We also have children taking part in revue, concerts, choir, painting, and building.

“We try our best to support them in their dreams and to work hard for their dreams.”

One of the most inspiring stories is that of a little girl who arrived at Gracia at the age of 11, separated from her siblings.

Laubscher said the girl was heartbroken and neglected, hidden away from her siblings before coming to Gracia.

She is now the mother of two beautiful children, studied to become a teacher, and provides love and care to community children in need.

Despite the incredible work being done, Gracia receives no government funding.

“Our biggest challenges daily are funding and our day-to-day needs. Water and lights need to be paid for, medical bills and medication need to be purchased, and then there are groceries, cleaning materials, and toiletries.”

The home survives by running projects such as grocery drives, back-to-school projects, winter campaigns for warm pyjamas, birthday and Christmas initiatives, and fundraising events.

She said food donations and financial support are both equally important, as food keeps the pantry full, and finances allow them to pay expenses when there’s no time to raise funds.

“The community try to support us and be part of our projects, but unfortunately, our community has a lot of needs. That is why we need to tell the world about House Gracia,” she said.

Gracia hopes to continue growing its work and strengthening ties with businesses and the community.

“Our short-term and long-term goals are to keep making a difference in children’s lives, to keep giving them a safe home, and to build a strong foundation. New programmes are always welcome where we see the need to change and improve.”

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