Guild Cottage gives children a second chance

“Don’t jump on the sofas”, “Feet off the couch”, “No climbing on the roof”.

These are the house rules of Parktown’s Guild Cottage which are pasted on the wall of the dining room and TV area of the home, and read much the same as the house rules for any household with children.

Guild Cottage is a rehabilitation home and place of safety for children who have been physically, emotionally, and sexually abused.

Some of the children will spend just six months of their life here – others as long as four years.

“We strive to keep the environment as normal as possible,” explained Sandton resident and home director Trish Heslop, commenting on the house rules and on other specifics of the daily running of the home, including allowing children to attend mainstream schools and to attend field events and outings.

“This is all part of growing up,” said house manager Madelein Heyneke. “We realise these children have already been robbed of so much of their childhood and we strive to give them as much of a normal experience of their growing up years as possible.”

Guild Cottage was established in 1907 as a home for orphaned children and has since evolved into South Africa’s only specialist residential treatment centre for sexually abused and traumatised children. The non-profit organisation further works in communities to prevent and identify abuse through awareness and education programmes.

The home is in need of support from the community, in terms of donations of any kind and sponsorship.

Details: 011-726-2102