The Little Rose Foundation (LRF) is home to many children living in poverty in Kliptown. The centre is situated in Boundary Road and serves as a daytime crèche, a 24-hour shelter and daytime youth centre to the community.
They currently accommodate 200 children, of which 22 live at the centre. 120 children belong to the crèche and the remaining 80 visit the centre to participate in the youth programme.
Founder Ouma Majola said that she started the centre almost 25 years ago to help her poverty-stricken community.
She said, “I noticed a need in the community. My main goal was to give children the chance to reach their goals.
“Because most parents cannot afford to ensure that their children are well taken care of and fed, I took it upon myself to help those in need. Poverty in my community is rife and seems never-ending. A little goes a long way.”
The LRF houses various programmes to ensure that the needs of the youth are well taken care of. An after-school programme was introduced to assist school goers with their homework and school projects, they also offer an arts programme to encourage creativity and the use of one’s imagination.
A fully stocked library and computer lab is on the premises to assist the youngsters. Meals are prepared on a daily basis to ensure that all the children are well-fed.
Penelope Pukwane is a volunteer at the centre who said that the foundation was truly blessed to have someone as loving, caring and patient as Ouma.
“She is our role model, the centre has grown over the years and it’s because of her selfless heart and dedication,” she said.
Majola also runs a shop at the centre which produces and sells handcrafted bags to visitors. The profits generated from these sales go towards funding food supplies. The centre houses 22 children and their daily nutritional needs have to be met.
“They sleep in a dormitory where strict rules have to be respected. We aim to look after all their needs and to raise them like a big family.
“The Shamalindi Group in Belgium has truly been a blessing to our centre. Because of them, our children now have a safe, spacious place to sleep in,” she said.
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