Childhood should be a time of innocence,
trust and happiness – we strive to make it so

Nazareth House provides a secure and happy home for abandoned, neglected, disabled and orphaned children – many of whom are the innocent victims of poverty and the HIV & AIDS pandemic. We were the first Children's Home in the Western Cape to accept an HIV infected baby, and he still lives with us today.

Wherever possible, our aim is to stabilise and reunite these children with their families, through our family reunification programme, or to place them in loving foster care. Those that remain permanently with us are mainly children with special needs and disabilities, such as severe Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, intellectual disability, Down Syndrome, deafness, blindness and epilepsy.

Children receive holistic care, ensuring their emotional, medical, educational, nutritional and social needs are met to the fullest extent. Although we receive a government subsidy for each child in our care, the amount falls far short of the actual cost of caring for little ones with special needs, and we rely on donations from caring individuals and companies to help make ends meet.

Emergency after-hours place of safety
Nazareth House works closely with the South African Police Service, Missing Persons' Unit and Child Protection Services to provide an emergency place of safety for abandoned babies and children who need to be removed from dangerous or abusive situations.

For example, the police arrived at our door at 1.30am one morning with two sets of twins: boys of 2 years and babies of 6 weeks old, all from the same mother. She was sick and had been admitted to hospital and the father could not cope, so took himself off to drink with friends. Neighbours heard the children crying and called the police.

In another case, the child protection social worker on night duty brought us four children under the age of seven. Their mother had died during the night and they were all alone in the shack with her. Fortunately the eldest little girl of 6 called a neighbour when she couldn't wake her mother.

These emergency placements are usually short stay. We work closely with the Department of Social Services to place the children with their extended family, in foster care, or in other suitable children's homes.

Donations of cash or goods are always received with great gratitude. Please click here to donate online.