Ray of Hope

Some time ago Immanuel Church felt it upon their hearts to play an active role in setting up a home to care for at least some of the many abandoned babies in our community and purchased a house which was then renovated to suit the requirements to run such a home.
A management committee of trustees was formed to draw up a constitution and attend to the legal aspects of registering as an NPO etc. One of the trustees is an elder of Immanuel Church and the trustees are accountable to the church for oversight. An NPO called Imisebe Yelanga has been registered, suitable staff employed, and in Sept 2009, working with the support and guidance of the dept of Welfare, the home was opened under the name of Ray of Hope.
The house has been fully paid for and is located at a cul-de-sac road and therefore in a relatively safe neighbourhood.
The house has been beautifully renovated and has a separate flat on the premises which is occupied by a mature couple who are appointed as house parents. Rachel is the house mother who is in charge of all that happens in the day to day running of the home. She is passionate about the work and absolutely loves the babies.
In addition we have a day care-giver, alternating night duty care-givers, a week-end day care-giver as well as volunteers who come in and give assistance. Each of the staff have been carefully selected for their suitability in terms of character, skills and health.

At Ray of Hope Transition Home for Babies we strive to provide:
• A loving home of hope for abused, abandoned, neglected and HIV babies and toddlers up to 36 months who are waiting for placement within a loving family of their own.
We do however care of children beyond the age of 36 months where necessity demands this, and do our best to enable them to attend a local creche ( ECD ) or Pre School.
• Our most important task is for these children to know that they are special, loved, and that their lives are significant.

Ray of Hope baby home seeks to impact abandoned babies and children through providing a safe, stable and loving home environment and assisting in transitioning them into adoptive families or at least longer-term foster homes. The home aims to become fully self-sufficient financially within the first year of its functioning. Thereafter, funds generated would enable it to initiate a second home and so increase the number of babies it will impact. The success of the home will no doubt also encourage other similar initiatives.

Imisebe Yelanga serves to care for orphans, abandoned / unwanted children, or where children have had to be removed from their homes for safety sake; whilst working together with Department of Social Welfare, in facilitating adoption placement. The home is able to care for up to 6 children at a time, under the care of a permanent house mother and father, together with day and night care givers. The children will stay with Imisebe Yelanga until Durban Children's Society places them in foster care for a maximum duration of 8 months. Church volunteers and donations will sustain the running of the home and the intention is to enable the home to become financially self-sustaining as soon as possible.

The home is hoping to create partnerships with organisations that will support the home by way of financial contributions or by contributions in kind such as free or subsidised medical services, or medicines, nappies, baby foods etc. So we would be delighted if you are able to partner with us.

The Durban Social Welfare will audit the home on a regular basis; in addition, the committee of trustees will manage the finances and be accountable for income and expenditure. The trustees have a constitution, have registered as a NPO, and have a designated bank account for the home.