Residents urged to help Ruimsig’s Divine Mercy Home for Pregnant Women

A haven for pregnant women with nowhere else to go is appealing to the community for donations and services to assist them in building a safe space for those in their care.

The Divine Mercy Home for Pregnant Women, located close to the Divine Mercy Church in Ruimsig, provides for young women who are pregnant and have been abandoned by those around them.

The house assists mothers during their pregnancy and the first few months of their newborn’s life, with the hope of instilling essential skills training and life lessons in the women they take in. Because the house is a non-profit organisation, the majority of those involved are community volunteers.

“We’re asking the community to help us with maintenance items that we can’t afford or complete ourselves,” one of the house mothers, Zaine Young, added. She went on to say that they are having problems with their alarm system, particularly during load-shedding, and would appreciate any aid from security businesses in the region to secure their home.

“We have a boundary wall that is unstable and falling to one side – it is only being held up by some steel structure on the other side – and thieves have used it as an access point into the property numerous times,” she added.

They’ve also noticed a demand for solar-powered flood lights as load-shedding becomes more common, and the lack of light adds to the already existing security issues.

“We are women alone in the house, and I am terrified to think what might happen if someone broke in,” Young explained.

“We are also working on making our garden a long-term source of nutrition and, hopefully, income soon. We would also appreciate any gardening tools or donations to our garden. Another requirement we have is for handyman tasks and house maintenance. We would like to renovate our thrift shop area so that visitors who browse can do so without struggle.”

After explaining the need for security services, Young pointed out that a wonderful solution would be if a solar company could sponsor a small solar power system for the home to help run the alarm system and lights during load-shedding or other times when there is no power.

“It is close to the end of the year and we are hoping the community will help support us in the spirit of charity,” she stated, adding that they are one of the charities where donors can receive a tax rebate after donating towards them.

If you or someone you know can assist this worthy cause, contact Debbie Phillips on 084 400 5656.