Apart from it being the most special day of celebration  of Mandela’s Birthday,  yesterday was also a special day for street children as a safe house for abandoned and neglected children found on the street late afternoons or at night was officially opened.

The occasion was attended by a big gathering of people in the St Francis community who had to dodge pools of water outside the house. Present were various interested community members and organisations, including St Francis Bay Rotary Club members and councillors, plus scores of other Sea Vista children who all clamoured round receive sweets from St Francis Chronicle and Show Me St Francis , two companies that handed out sweets  to them in celebration of Mandela’s Birthday.

The street and orphaned children are all under the watch of child minder, Aggie, who also runs the Sea Vista Soup kitchens. To mark the opening of the safe house, Clr Ward Clr, Ben Rheeder delivered a short speech in which he thanked Aggie for her sterling work in looking after abandoned children. He said the house was not yet complete and he appealed to anyone who could help with things like putting in electric lights or do other needed renovations, to offer their services.

Rheeder also said the house was for the children of Sea Vista – and anyone who needed care after hours in an emergency. The children and people taken in at night will be kept safe until the authorities like child welfare can attend to them in daylight. He also appealed for volunteers to help man the safe house and thanked all the companies that contributed to the opening of this child shelter.

To great cheers Aggie cut the ribbon and all those present were able to inspect the house.

See related post and more photos : https://stfrancischronicle.com/2012/07/18/sweets-for-street-children-on-madiba-day/