Schools help keep hope alive for struggling child care centre

Various schools in the Buffalo City Metro have come together to raise funds to save the Guardians of Hope Child Care Centre, which is in dire financial distress.

So far, 20 schools have joined Guardians of Hope’s R5 School Challenge, which will run for the 2026 school year.

Each participating school chooses a specific month to collect R5 per pupil.

Founder Elaine Brenkman said R54,437 had been received from 106 single donations so far.

“There have also been EFT donations and sign-ups that will cover the next two months, so I can confirm that we are safe until the end of May,” Brenkman said.

Centre manager Gazzelle Ihlenfeldt said the threat of closure had not yet been lifted.

“We still haven’t secured sustainable funding through our R150 debit order,” she said.

The centre launched a R150 debit order campaign in a bid to cover its monthly running costs.

Ihlenfeldt said they needed 2,000 people to sign up for the R150 monthly contribution to meet one month’s operating expenses.

“At the moment we only have 210, and 20 schools that have joined the campaign.”

She said it would become clearer later this month whether the centre could continue operating at full capacity.

“We’ll know in the middle of March when we send out the next payments, and maybe then we can do another update of where we are,” she said.

Ihlenfeldt said the R5 school campaign had received a positive response.

Some corporate companies had also stepped forward.

Ihlenfeldt said one company had come on board specifically to assist with oxygenation needs, while several schools had signed up for the R150 debit order.

Brenkman said the support from the broader community had been overwhelming.

“Besides the schools that have signed up with the campaign, there are so many people who have used their businesses to do something for the home,” she said.

She said some businesses had donated goods directly, while others had pledged a portion of their sales to the centre.

She said many businesses had donated essential items such as cleaning products and wet wipes, items the centre used daily.

“It really helps in terms of money that we don’t have to spend,” she said.

Brenkman said the crisis had highlighted the compassion within the community.

“We need to acknowledge how beautiful the community is.

“Everybody is stepping up and doing something because they care.”

This week, the Eastern Cape provincial legislature unanimously adopted a DA motion calling for urgent intervention by the provincial department of social development to secure funding for Guardians of Hope.

The motion, introduced by DA MPL Marlene Ewers, calls on social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta to intervene immediately to secure provisional funding and work with the provincial treasury to find sustainable operational support.

Ewers said the situation was urgent, as many of the children in the centre’s care had experienced trauma or had serious medical challenges.

“The legislature further resolved that no child should be removed from Guardians of Hope as a result of administrative or funding failures,” Ewers said.

The centre has 27 children in its care.

Social development spokesperson Mphumzi Zuzile said the centre had contacted the department on Thursday.

“Guardians of Hope sent a correspondence to the department on Thursday, indicating that they have received funds that will allow them to stay open, so there is no need for the department to have children moved or placed in alternative care,” Zuzile said.

Zuzile said the centre had noted that it was difficult to acquire donations for staff costs, as there was an expectation that the centre should have sufficient funds to pay the staff caring for the children.

He said the department was open to assist, as it dealt with organisations with programmes that were aligned with its work.

“This includes initiatives that deal with children, women, and persons living with disabilities, so in future should they need our assistance, we are open to help.”

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