Community Chest Durban has been supporting Ethelbert Child & Youth Care Centre (CYCC) based in Malvern in KwaZulu-Natal for six years. Ethelbert CYCC has been a safe and loving environment for children since 1907 and their focus is on orphaned children and those made vulnerable as a result of abuse, abandonment, and neglect.
Ethelbert CYCC is a registered non-profit and public benefits organisation (NPO & PBO) specialising in the full-time care, rehabilitation, and support of vulnerable, abandoned, and abused children within KZN. As a residential place of safety, Ethelbert CYCC supports 65 children aged 18 months to 18 years. All children are placed in their care following a rigorous investigative process undertaken by the Department of Social Development, Department of Justice, and social welfare placement agencies.
The most valuable objective of their work is to reunite children with their rehabilitated parents or families. This is implemented through collaborative efforts with placement agencies and the Department of Social Development. If this is not a possibility, the children remain in the care of the passionate Child Care Workers (House Mothers) who along with the staff and management ensure that all children’s rights and needs are met which include:
- A safe and therapeutic familial environment, free of prejudice.
- A balanced and nutritious diet.
- Education through affiliation with local primary, secondary and tertiary learning institutions including after-school programmes.
- Ensuring the educational needs of each child are met through admission into mainstream schools, remedial or specialised teaching for children with learning disabilities.
- Early Childhood Development programmes for children aged 2 to 5 years.
- Recreational, life-skills and extra-curricular programming.
- Freedom of speech - where each beneficiary is provided with a forum to express themselves without judgement.
- Psychosocial support through individual and group sessions with a Centre-based Social Worker.
- Familial love and structure through qualified Child Care Workers who serve as custodians for the children, providing day-to-day care and emotional support.
- Spiritual guidance and upliftment.
Ethelbert CYCC provides host and foster-parent recruitment, training and support. They make optimal use of qualified personnel and dedicated volunteers as well as establish meaningful partnerships with the corporate sector, like-minded organisations and government departments. Implementing healthy business principles to ensure quality service is also a priority.
The Care Centre comprises six cottages – three for boys and three for girls. The boys’ homes, named Wesley, Silverton and Trenow Cottages, have a current wish list of 30 duvet covers, 10 pairs of bedroom curtains and three rugs for each lounge area.
The girls’ cottages are named Grace, Highbury and Queenswood and their requirements are a microwave, ironing board, DVD player, 10 pairs of curtains, 10 duvet covers and outdoor benches for toddlers.
Their ongoing food donation requirements always include rice, sugar, peanut butter, oil, milk, oats, samp, soup powders, meilie meal and margarine. While toiletries are always a necessity – baby soap, nappies, wet wipes, roll-on deodorant and toothpaste.
Should you wish to make a donation please contact Fadeela at Community Chest Durban on 031-303 3890 or email fadeela@communitychest.co.za to arrange delivery or, depending on the location and size of the donation, collection can be organised.