Embo children’s home needs financial assistance

Tholuthando Children’s Home in Embo is home to 46 children between the ages of one and 19, and relies on public donations to keep the home going.

The home is run by Sindy Duma, who has taken the numerous children, many of whom have come from abusive situations, under her motherly wing.

For Duma it all began in 2004 when her sister died, leaving behind two young children. She adopted them and they came to live with her and her family at her house in Botha’s Hill. Soon she was being inundated with requests from the local community, social workers and Hillcrest Police station for assistance with other children in need.

“They came to me and tell me, ‘Sindy you are their last hope’, so I didn’t have a choice, I can’t say no.”

Realising the need for a children’s shelter, and with her home now too small to accommodate the growing number of children, she founded Tholuthando Children’s Home in 2005. The land was donated to her and Group Five, a diversified construction, infrastructure, concessions and related services group, donated and constructed the building.

Only six of the children she looks after have government grants, the rest she cares for with donations from the public.

“It is difficult to budget when most of the children have no grants. We suffer for food and I must find money for water, electricity and transport for school. We go through 10kgs of rice a day.”

She gets up every morning before the children to make sure they all have porridge before they go to school. There is no money to send lunch boxes, but she ensures that there is lunch prepared for the children that can walk home for lunch, and dinner is always available.

“It is my vision, not their vision, so I need them to focus on their books and not worry about anything else. I have nothing in my pocket but I have love for them.”

The home desperately needs financial donations, food, clothing and a large vehicle for transport. If you can help, contact Sindy Duma on 072 634 6790.