Sparrows

Two concerned citizens from Tarkastad, Jean Budler and Jenny van Heerden, identified the needs in the communities of Tarkastad and decided to actively do something about it. These communities, like so many in the Eastern Cape, have not been spared the suffering and devastation associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Sparrows Child & Youth Care Centre was established in 2000 to accommodate children who are abused, abandoned, neglected and orphaned.
The Staff at the Centre base their work programmes on the needs and problems identified in the community. These needs and problems are: poverty and unemployment, substance abuse, family disintegration and HIV/AIDS.

A serious need was also identified for Child Welfare Services to continue in Tarkastad when Queenstown Child Welfare withdrew their services at the end of 2001. According to the area demarcation, Tarkastad became part of the Cradock Region.
The Sparrows Child & Youth Care Centre also needed the services of a social worker to provide counselling and therapy for the children.
In 2002 the Tsolwana Society was established and registered. At the beginning of 2003, a social worker was appointed and application was made for a subsidy. On 12 April 2005, at a special meeting, the Tsolwana Society changed its name to CWSA: Tsolwana & Sparrows Child and Youth Care Centre.

The Organisation is managed by the Manager, Jenny van Heerden, with a social worker, a social auxiliary worker and an administration clerk. There are six childcare workers together with two volunteers, who care for the children in residential care.