Kuselo Window of Hope’s safety house in Boksburg shuts down

The safe house run by Kuselo Window of Hope closed its doors on April 18.

Due to apparent discrepancies regarding the registration of Window of Hope to operate as an NGO, the partnership between Kuselo Child and Youth Care Services and Window of Hope is in the process of being disbanded.

This is according to Amanda Coetzee, founder of Kuselo Child and Youth Care Services.

Window of Hope, which provided a safe house for abandoned babies, moved from Dawn Park to Boksburg North during the end of last year.

Kuselo is an NPO that relies on the generosity and support from the public. Kuselo provides many professional services such as home-based care to child-headed and granny-headed families, family intervention and family preservation support services such as setting up parenting plans, family counselling and family unity programmes.

Kuselo joined into a partnership with Window of Hope in October 2017.

Together the partnership ensured children were placed through various welfare organisations into Window of Hope’s care.

“Our vision was to care for babies who are abandoned, by giving mothers the opportunity to place their babies into a baby saver bin instead of placing or dumping the child into the Boksburg Lake or placing the child into a rubbish bin.

“This would then give the infant a chance at survival,” said Coetzee.

Kuselo Window of Hope also cared for abused and neglected children, who were removed from their homes through statutory processes such as the welfare/SAPS whilst the investigation is pending for a period of 90 days.

Thereafter the child is then placed into a foster care system or with respective families if qualified and screened through the welfare and approved by the courts.

“The children in our care were placed through the courts and relevant welfare organisations into good homes on the closure of the safe house. All the children were in good health and well cared for during their stay at the safe house in Boksburg North,” said Coetzee.

“We wish to thank the community and individuals who supported our vision and compassion to aid these children and persons in crisis. Without your love and support we would not have been able to give the children in our care the foundation of a safe family home environment, love, nutrition and protection.

“Most importantly, we gave these children the care they so desperately needed. This could not have been possible without the community support and aid received to run such a safe house.

“We apologise that we could not inform all our donors personally, and we thank you all for the donations and care for Kuselo Window of Hope,” said Coetzee.

The closing down of Kuselo Window of Hope affects the whole community and the SAPS.

“I have been working with Amanda for a while now. She is a huge help to Boksburg North SAPS, and we trust that she will continue to serve the community and help children in any way possible,” said Capt Juanita Coetzer, communications officer at Boksburg North SAPS.

“She has been awesome with children, and when asked to help she reacted immediately; it didn’t matter the time of day.”

Coetzee said that Kuselo will continue to work hand in hand and assist the SAPS Boksburg North, welfare organisations, SA Search and Rescue as well as Touch of Hope (an organisation that deals with missing persons, especially children and human trafficking) and other relevant organisations to provide aid and support to benefit children in crisis.

“We will also continue with community outreach and support to those in crisis,” said Coetzee.

If any person is in need of assistance please contact Coetzee on 072 512 7227.

The Advertiser, at the time of going to print, could not attain comment from Window of Hope or from the Department of Social Development.

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