Uitkoms Home for Girls

Uitkoms offers intensive, holistic, specialised care that caters for physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs. The care encompasses the provision of counselling and educational programmes.

By the implementation of structured life skills and educational programmes, Uitkoms equips these girls for re-integration into their communities, and into a broader society in the future to come, to find acceptance from their families. We aim to develop the girls into productive, self-sustaining citizens in the future.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Uitkoms had its beginnings in 1944, when Johanna Terburgh recognised the need for a home to care for young, pregnant girls.

New premises were built in 1970, and, in 1999, we became registered as a Children’s Home and a Place of Safety for abandoned, abused, neglected, raped, destitute pregnant (including those who were HIV positive) teenage girls.

Since its humble beginnings sixty years ago, Uitkoms does not discriminate based on skin-colour, language, or creed.

PLACEMENTS

Uitkoms receives request for admission on a regular basis, from the community, Children’s Courts, as well as other Children’s Homes, and services the needs of the greater Johannesburg area, as well as other parts of the Gauteng province.

Uitkoms is also one of the only Children’s Homes in Gauteng that accepts and fully accommodates pregnant teenage girls.

FINANCES AND FUNDING

With a progressive downturn in the economy, many children’s homes are in a crisis. Recent surveys indicate that there has been a 15% decline in corporate and international funding - the sector has to somehow make good the shortfall.

The average cost for a centre like ours to care for, clothe, and feed a school going child is over R3,750.00 per month. The current, per capita subsidy received from government is just over R2,000.00 per month. Most centres, like ours, are in a constant battle for continuity, whilst many others have had to reduce the number of children in their care, or even completely close down.

Due to this, Uitkoms is heavily reliant on the public at large to make financial contributions that make a difference, and allow us to continue the work we do.

To learn more about contributing to our cause, and how you’ll benefit from doing so, please visit our website (www.uitkoms.org.za)