n e r d l i h C Rescuing COMMUNITY LEADER
re u t u F their and Securing
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he worst form of child labour is prostitution and drug trafficking. This is the reason that Home of Hope came into existence 12 years ago, rescuing vulnerable girls from the streets of Hillbrow and Berea, Johannesburg. Under the stewardship of Khanyisile Motsa, affectionately known as ‘Mam Khanyi’, the centre started with five children who escaped from a brothel in the area and found refuge in her home. Today the Home of Hope takes care of more than 60 girls who attend schools while some are in university.
Explaining how she founded the Home of Hope Centre for Girls, Mam Khanyi says, “I saw children on the streets being used by pimps and drug lords and I said this cannot happen, not under my watch. I didn’t want to judge or shout at the girls but I befriended them and one day I invited them to my house for tea. In fact I did this because I wanted to know more about them so I could deal with their parents.” Mam Khanyi says the girls visited her regularly and after she forged a trust with them she interrogated them about their lives. After the girls had shared their life stories Mam Khanyi let the girls stay with her, which was the start for the Home of Hope for Girls. “HIV/Aids is killing people and is one of the causes the children are on the streets. Most of the children when asked the whereabouts of their parents told us that their parents had passed away, leaving them in the care of their next of kin.” “But I don’t play a game; we are here to help each other, if there are children who need a mother, why can’t I be a mother; if there are children who need a brother, why can’t you be a brother to them”, she asked. “I felt I had to do something to bring up these children with love and a homely environment like any other child.”
Founder of Home of Hop
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e, Mam’ Khanyisile Mot
www.spotongmag.co.za
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She says children who find themselves in this vulnerable situation mostly come from desperately poor circumstances, broken homes or are downright destitute. Most arrive from the rural areas and/or neighbouring countries of
South Africa. They are promised jobs or schooling in the big city. But once they arrive the agents are paid, they are abandoned and left at the mercy of the ruthless gangsters who hold them captive. They are told they have to sell drugs and work as prostitutes to pay off the money the gangsters have paid the agents to recruit them. Their ID documents are taken from them to make escape more difficult. The Home of Hope provides food, accommodation and health care (since some of the girls are HIV positive and need Antiretrovirals). It also pays school and university fees for the children with the support of private donors. She says for the past 12 years the Home of Hope hasn’t received financial support from government, they only rely on private donors. Mam Khanyi says she’s grateful for good hearted individuals who have supported the centre financially and socially over the years because through their interventions the Home of Hope has saved many lives. During the period of 2010/11 Mam Khanyi received a total of 12 accolades from the corporate sector. She was the winner of the 2010 Feather Award in the Women’s National Community Builder and Humanitarian category, Shoprite-Checkers Woman of the YearYouth movers and the Rotary Clubs of Rosebank and Randburg awarded Mam Khanyi for Community Building in 2010. “By doing this I was not expecting anyone to clap hands for me, but all these accolades are the landmarks in my life. My reward is seeing a child growing up and going to university, her beauty and intelligence are my real accolades.” Home of Hope has two centres, based in Kensington and Berea, Mam Khanyi says at their centres they’re teaching children some life skills such as knitting to have something to fall back on later in life. She says their centres are in dire need of a social and financial support because of the high cost of rehabilitating the girls and taking legal action against their perpetrators. Home of Hope can be contacted on (011) 333 1616 or info@hopehome.org.za.
