We are family!

In 2004, the first of our two Community Cottages was opened in Observatory and six girls, along with two house parents, moved in. The objective was to provide an environment as close to a normal family unit as possible, in which the children could grow up in similar circumstances to their peers in the community.

The girls live as sisters, sharing chores around the house and are comfortable enough to invite friends 'home'.

They attend the local school and church, and participate in various community sporting and social activities. There is even a pet dog, who is everyone's favourite!

The cost of providing holistic care for our charges – including food, clothing, schoolbooks and fees and medical care mounts up, and we rely on donations from caring individuals and companies to help make ends meet.

Family Reunification Programme
Every child at some stage longs to find their roots, who they really are and who they belong to. We owe it to them to do all we can to help them find the answers.

Nazareth House employs a community worker to try and trace the families of children in our care, but it's not always easy – especially when the family lives in an informal settlement! But our efforts pay off when grandparents are reunited with a grandchild they thought had died years ago, or mothers accept a baby they were too scared or ashamed to acknowledge at birth.

Once the family has been traced, months of work are involved in building the relationship. Before a child returns home, we must be convinced that it is the right decision for the child. Children spend supervised weekends and holidays at home, and then a trial period before the final decision is made.

Even after a child returns home, the communtiy worker visits the family to offer support and ensure that the child is well looked after and happy.