GCF gives children, families hope

Give a Child a Family (GCF), based in Margate, is celebrating its 30th year of caring for the needs, and protecting the rights, of children.

It was founded by Basil and Monica Woodhouse, and promotes the rights and well-being of neglected or abandoned children.

Monica, who serves as ED, is the daughter of Swedish missionaries to South Africa.

A committed Christian, she said she felt God’s call on her life to this ministry, even as a teenager.

“When I was 15, I already knew that God was calling me to work with vulnerable children,” she said.

Originally called Place of Restoration (PoR), the name changed as the vision grew and the organisation expanded.

It went from initially being a safe haven for women and children, to an organisation which sought to keep families together, or place children in families, hence the subsequent name change.

The vision statement says it all: ‘Give a Child a Family – it’s where they belong!’

In recent times, GCF has enlarged its vision further to focus not only on rehoming children who come into its care, but also to provide care and support for the families which foster and care for other people’s children.

This is to prevent or minimise the scenario where foster care children are sent back by families, or moved around unnecessarily sometimes more than once, which is not in the best interests of the child.

“I believe God wants children in families and the challenge with children’s homes is that children often get stuck in the system and don’t leave until they are 18, or older,” said Monica.

Mareli Schwartz, marketing coordinator at GCF, echoed these sentiments.

“The aim is to ensure the families chosen to foster or care for children are suitable to raise them, and thus need to meet stricter criteria,” she said.

“The need now, more than ever, is to find temporary, safe care parents, which is not always easy, as often it’s in a time of emergency or crisis. But helping a child who is in crisis or at risk, it is vital that they also need a family rather than a centre.”

Over the years, GCF has provided training for thousands of social workers, organisations and individuals across the province and further afield, even into Africa, with a mission to protect, provide, promote and pursue child care and protection.

GCF has also worked in 12 African countries and works with overseas subsidiaries to meet the needs of these children.

GCF is very dependent on the generosity of donations from people, and receives from local sources, and Sweden, Scotland and the Netherlands

During the three decades of its existence GCF has created quite a legacy of care and protection.

Some incredible things have been achieved, with highs and lows and everything in between.

The directors and staff have gone about serving the community, families and children, with assistance from home and abroad, and are grateful to all who have played a role in whatever way to keep the work going.

COMING UP

* Community Clean up in Mandela Month (July).

For more information, visit the website www.gcf.co.za.

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