Children's Home

Founded in 2001, Baphumelele Children’s Home was a humble woman’s response to an alarming situation. Rosie Mashale had no money when she decided to provide a home and place of safety for children who were orphaned, abandoned, abused or neglected, but she had a vision, a big heart, a lot of resolve and the constant support of her community.

Baphumelele aims to provide orphans with a stable, loving and permanent home. It also serves as a place of safety for children in crisis 24 hours a day. Children are sometimes brought to Baphumelele by the police or social services as a temporary place of refuge for a few days or a few weeks; others have been in Baphumelele’s care for years. Consequently the number of children staying at Baphumelele is always fluctuating, but tends to fall somewhere between 140 and 160 children.

At present the children – ranging in age from newborn to 19 years old – live in nine separate buildings. They are cared for by women and men from the community who love them as their very own, and who are supported by volunteers.

Baphumelele became an officially registered orphanage with the South African government in May 2005. Being recognised in this way has afforded us the ability to work towards foster care, adoption, and in some cases, family reunification.

The sustainability and unique nature of Baphumelele as a community-based project is assured through its deep roots in the community. The Home in particular is viewed by many as a sentinel of hope in the townships of the Western Cape and a demonstration of what a community can achieve when all work together.