Children’s home in dire need of funds

ALBERTON – After five years of making a difference in the lives of Alberton’s children, the doors of the Alberton Children’s Home will be closing for good unless much needed funds are urgently raised.

Nine staff members will have to be laid off and 15 of the 21 children at the home will need to be placed by April 2016.

Elmarie Kennedy, director of the 75-year-old Alberton Child Welfare, a non-governmental organisation, said the Alberton Children’s Home is no longer cost effective.

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“We have done everything in our power to save the children’s home, from hosting fundraisers as well as appealing to the public to assist us, but unfortunately our expenses have become much more than what we are receiving,” Kennedy explained.

The operational costs of the home alone amounts to about R300 000 per month, but with a shortfall of about R181 000 per month, it is no longer sustainable to run the home that started as a shelter for children living on the streets.

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Kennedy said most of the money goes towards utility bills such as water and electricity, fuel, and other operational costs including paying for therapeutic services.

“I am just forever grateful that we have been able to pay our staff member’s salaries each month, but to be able to do that we are living from mouth-to-mouth.” What saddens Kennedy even more is the stress that hangs like a cloud over the home’s staff and caregivers, who will lose their bread and butter.

The welfare also has a home in Edenpark and another unidentified home in the area. About 2 500 foster children from the Greater Alberton area are being cared for, Kennedy said.

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“They need to be monitored, but under the immense pressure that we are under, it is a logistical nightmare.”

Earlier this year Mike Waters, DA Lethabong constituency head, said that the Welfare is underfunded by a staggering 70 percent.