- Ikamva Labantwana, a non-profit initiative founded by Jorg Caluori from Switzerland, launched in Langa to provide a safe space for disadvantaged children.
- The centre offers foster care, shelter care, and education support to 21 children aged 2-1 with a goal to empower them for a better future.
- Attending authorities praised Caluori’s initiative, emphasizing the importance of community-driven projects in addressing social ills.
Langa community members were exhilarated during the launch of Ikamva Labantwana at Settlers on Friday 20 September.
Among the dignitaries attending the event were the City’s Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, and Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith.
The founder of the Township Help organisation from Switzerland, Jorg Caluori, who spearheaded the project, said he saw a need to establish this home for children.
Township Help is a non profit organisation that works closely with children, mainly in disadvantaged communities to change their lives to be better.
He said the initiative started in 2022 when he visited Langa as a tourist.
“I saw these young children who were roaming on the streets doing nothing. I told myself that I must do something for them. Because I didn’t get a site to build a centre, I decided to buy a house and convert it to a centre,” explained Caluori, adding that he searched for people to look after the project.
The centre is home to 21 children between the ages of two and 14.
Caluori stated that most of the children were referred to the centre by social workers or clinics.
“All of them are staying here. Some of them are orphans. Others are coming from disadvantaged families,” he explained.
He described the facility as a safe space for the children.
Hill-Lewis praised Caluori for his resilience in ensuring that Ikhaya Lekamva was established for needy children.
“He was relentlessly determined that he would not give up on this initiative. He has been extremely passionate about it. He has driven it personally with the help of his team. It would not happen without determination,” said Hill-Lewis and thanked other organisations that supported the initiative.
He urged the communities not to fold their arms and wait for the government to do things for them.
“Do something with what you have where you are. All of us, do something with what we have where we are. We may not be able to solve everything, but that doesn’t mean we should put up our hands and say it’s so difficult,” he said, adding that is the philosophy they have in the City.
Ikhaya Lekamva manager Vuyiswa Nzakana described the project as closer to her heart. She said she loves children a lot. “Part of the project we are running is a foster care and part of it is a shelter care. Because there are children who come during and on weekends to eat. And others are staying here permanently,” she explained. She described Langa as one of the areas facing social ills. She described the facility to be a home of change. She said each child has a Godparent from various countries.
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“We take the children who are not above 14 years old. But they can stay here until 18 years old. After that we take them back to their families or relatives,” she explained.
Ward 51 councillor Lwazi Pakade described the centre as a safe space for children. He praised Jorg for coming up with such a great initiative citing it is not a help to the children but to Langa as a whole.
Pakade vowed that as the community, they would protect it.
“It is a great asset for the community. We need more such projects that are helping our community,” he said.
