GCF to celebrate 30 years of blessings
In 30 years of existence GCF still prides it self in child care
Having started from a savings of R20 donated by a church member, to praying for funds to purchase a property to build a place of restoration for destitute families in the early 90s, Monica Woodhouse, founder of Give a Child a Family (GCF) says she is grateful for the relationships she has built with sponsors over the years.
Monica said today, 30 years later, GCF is a well-established child care institution.
Its start involved serving 130 young girls in a rural village at Betania Mission Station.
“We were the supervisors that kept the hostel going to help them get through their school years successfully. It was disturbing times to say the least, to live in a ‘war torn’ area in South Africa during the apartheid years.”
She said having experienced all of this, she and her husband Basil asked God what He wanted them to do and God gave them the answers.
The Place of Restoration Trust (PoR) was born in 1992, and registered with the Master of the Supreme Court.
“Some years later, after agonising about a place to move to, the empty land of Lot 32 Alexander Avenue was to be home to PoR.”
“The R20 had grown to R9000 in six years, but in six weeks R55 000 was needed. God miraculously provided through some anonymous donations,” she added.
In 2005, PoR changed its name to GCF as the focus shifted.
Today GCF offers various services, such as family restoration and preservation, justice for children, safeguarding, and a programme which covers protective behaviours.
GCF also has reintegration programmes where children are reunited with their families, assisting in finding foster parents and temporary safety care parents who the children sometimes end up living with permanently.
Monica said the biggest challenge for GCF was raising sponsorship for the preventative work, as its results cannot be seen immediately.
It’s often only later, when the beneficiaries tell the stories themselves of the help they received through this programme, that its true value is realised.
She said she is grateful to all the sponsors, businesses, both local and international who have been part of the 30 year journey.
“It would not have been possible without our long term sponsors, the Department of Social Development and international funders. The funding that means the most to us is from individual funders who give from the bottom of their hearts.
“Each rand means a lot. Our plea is for individuals to donate any amount, and businesses, too. It will bring change in our country and in our systems. This will turn government’s ship around and we need the non-profit sector to speak up and have a voice for us to see this happening.”
To celebrate its anniversary, GCF will host a three-day programme. Invited sponsors, trustees and sister organisations have been invited for a community tour today (15th), with a virtual meeting in the evening.
An AGM and a meet-and-greet takes place this Friday (16th) at 12:00.
The centre will host a closed fun day for the children, followed by a thanksgiving and celebration on Saturday afternoon/evening.
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