Kids Haven

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Kids Haven

Kids Haven protects and cares for children in crisis and supports activities so that families and communities protect and nurture their children

Our Vision is to protect and care for children in crisis and empower families and communities to be safe and nurturing places for children

05/06/2026

closing out child protection week with the yellow army, led by the team of Kids Justice and including our preschool children giving us a powerful reminder of WHO needs to be protected and WHY. 💙💛

03/06/2026

It matters that every child receives protection and care. Within the idea of "care", we can add that every child must feel a sense of BELONGING. Family connections make the very best start for every child; belonging provides a strong foundation to ongoing care.

💛I matter
💙I am special
💛I know who my family is and they are special to me

We recognize that young mums need extra care and support as they enter into motherhood, when they themselves continue to need to be safe and well cared for. This is good for all children.

Thank you to the many donations of baby items and blankets that we have received and been able to share with these mums. Today we also celebrate a baby being documented - the protection of a name and a nationality. 💙💛

01/06/2026

Child protection starts by making sure a child is safe. Then well cared for. And then ensuring all other rights can be upheld. There is always progression with SAFETY being the foundation, but then all rights must follow.

This young lady is safe. She is well cared for and she is receiving much needed medical care in good time and regularly. But we also realized that her right to education was being compromised by her health challenges. The RIGHT school was needed to uphold HER right to an education.

Fast forward to term two and she started high school in a new school perfectly suited to her physical challenges. No more stairs and feeling left behind. Now she can concentrate on learning and enjoying her school days.

is about everything that a child needs. It is not one thing 💛💙

30/05/2026

and is in full swing.
It is never just one thing. It takes many reasons for a child to come into care, and just as many reasons for a child to leave care stronger and capable. Care. Attention. Rules. Good examples. Intention. Thank you Mum Jabu for giving all these things so that young women like Ntando can fly...
"Please tell mam Jabu I love her so so much 🫶🏾
Our Journey together started at the gates of Kids Haven Village.
The first person who welcomed me and then I felt like I was home. Cooking lessons! Ne tea 😂
Thank you mama Jabu.
When you took me to fetch clothes from number 8 I was like Lord. This is the same mama who welcomed me and now she is saying happy farewell to me.🎊
"Ntando please mntanami stand up for yourself out there!"

I am standing ten times taller mama 🥹 ❤️.
Cheers to many more good news 🗞️" 💛💙

28/05/2026

There is simply no better warrior for children than Mum Annie. Today is Annie Maboea birthday. Happy Birthday Annie.
💛Thank you for protecting children so hard.
💙Thank you for caring for children so thoughtfully.
💛Thank you for loving children so intentionally.

"I came to Kids Haven in 2000 with a dream of helping others, believing it to be my purpose in life. Through Kids Haven I have realized my dream.
I’ve seen a lot of pain and suffering. Trauma hurts children emotionally. Children experience things they should not experience. They come to Kids Haven with no purpose or sense of self, but they leave with a strong sense of self, and a smile. Kids Haven has given many children a sense of identity. It says ‘you are somebody, you matter’, and provides resources to help children tap into their potential and become the best that they can be.
Kids Haven is not just a haven for children but for staff too. There’s something about it that brings healing and contentment. There is a Kids Haven magic that goes with the soup, as the children call all the healthy vegetable dishes they eat. When I’m out there I walk with pride knowing that I am living my dream. I am living my purpose; Kids Haven has given me that! I am changing lives, what more can I want?
When I arrived I saw the children’s pain but didn’t have the skills to help them, but I learned a lot just watching Moira and how she worked with the kids. I was struck by the passion she has for the children, and just how much she loves them. When we give up on them, she keeps bringing them back. She believes in these children, and keeps on giving them a thousand ‘second chances’. She taught me that wherever I am, I should always advocate for children’s rights and needs.
Kids Haven’s values and principles have a very strong hold on me; I live them out wherever I am. They have become part of my personal values and principles, and have impacted my relationships with my family and others positively. They are about care, love, integrity and believing in people."
Thank you Annie for joining Kids Haven twenty-six years ago with a burning passion to care for children. We salute your growth, qualification as a social worker, and the work you do as the Head of Childcare at Kids Haven. You are one of a kind - have a great day today 💙💛

25/05/2026

Today we celebrate and recognize - celebrating African unity and all things that make us proud of our continent and its people.
This past weekend, our children had the chance to experience some of what South Africa has to offer in nature and tourism. Other children experienced the beauty of understanding that I am because you are. These activities build connections, build memories, and build a childhood free from trauma.

We want to thank our visitors from CFCI Bible College - JHB Campus for bringing young people to serve the children at Kids Haven and spend time together. We want to thank Nita Maharaj for hosting her Belle of the Ball event with our girls, motivating and inspiring them. We appreciate our friends at the Mountain Club of SA Johannesburg chapter for bringing our children into nature and building confidence in trying new things. And lastly, are grateful to our own CEO, Uncle Sam and Life Skills coordinator, Mum Fikile, for taking outgoing and incoming members of the Children's Forum to BelaBela on Sunday to enjoy the warm waters. Every activity, every new place and new experience reminds the children of what it is like to be growing up in South Africa, building connections for life. 🇿🇦💙💛

22/05/2026

and a gathering of Non Profit Organizations outside the offices of the Gauteng Department of Social Development today as part of the Gauteng Care Crisis Committee (GCCC) initiative. The GCCC wants answers from the Gauteng office on funding delays and cuts to non profit organizations serving children, the elderly, women shelters and GBV services, rehab centers and disability centers across the province.

The National DSD developed a sector funding framework which recognizes the roles of NPO's to deliver services on behalf of government. The Gauteng DSD is not implementing the framework at all.
Organizations are reeling from cancelled contracts, withdrawn and re-issued contracts, an obligatory online grantor business plan submission system that never worked, cancelled panel discussions with Organizations and late payments of subsidies to operate now 8 weeks into the new financial year.

Kids Haven is a member of the GCCC . We support all efforts to hold the Gauteng DSD to account. We are one of the 'lucky ones', with a signed service level agreement and we have received our funding for this quarter. BUT, it is unchanged for the fourth year running although every person in this province feels the cost of living increases since 2023...

We stand in solidarity with the sector. If one part fails, we will feel the knock-on effect in communities across the province. The GCCC is asking the Gauteng DSD to CARE about the needs of children, elderly, disabled and victims of gender based violence. These are our most vulnerable members of our society. 💙💛

20/05/2026

Today we share a snippet of child care - noticing the needs of children and being available with them, in the way that they need to be able to meet their needs.

When H first arrived at Kids Haven, he was struggling deeply. His tantrums were intense, he was aggressive, and he would often hurt himself and others. It took our whole team — even our maintenance team — to help calm and support him through those difficult moments.

H came from an unstable and unsafe home environment. Like many children who arrive at Kids Haven, he needed more than shelter. He needed safety, patience, and unconditional love.

Over time, with intentional care and support, we’ve seen incredible progress. His outbursts are becoming fewer and fewer, and while he still needs ongoing psychological support, he is doing so much better.

Recently, H walked into Uncle Sam’s office. He wasn’t supposed to be there, but Sam could see he was struggling. They sat quietly together, shared some food, and after a while H opened up. He said he missed his brothers and wanted to walk home.

Sam knew that what he was really looking for was a safe space — somewhere he felt heard, understood, and cared for. He also knew it was TOO far to walk, but H didn't have the words he needed to just ask for a quiet space. They enjoyed their meal and enjoyed each others company in that time.

H matters. Every child matters. And we will continue to protect, love and care for children like H every day.💛🩵

18/05/2026

means we are continuing to focus on this month leading to at the end of May. The most important people in the life of a child is FAMILY. Families are the very best places to create safe and nurturing caring environments. But what happens when the family is not safe...
A child is abandoned by his mother. He doesn't know his dad and the man who everyone thinks is his dad, denies it flatly. Adult attempts to find his mom are fruitless and he moves in with an aunt. He has never known a loving family and hopes that this will be it. It is not. She beats him and in this second family he becomes even more unsafe, hurt emotionally and physically now. Police are called, he moves again.
But now, he doesn't hope for a better family. He expects adults to hurt him. He expects life to be hard - so he takes matters of his survival into his own hands. Always out the house, always in trouble, eventually excluded from school. His new foster mother literally fears for his life as the community becomes angrier and less tolerant of this growing boy - no longer small and helpless. Now tall and threatening.

What could his story be? Where could it have gone better? How many beatings did he endure before someone said something.

Child protection matters.
Stop the hurt before a childhood is ruined.

Families can be safe and loving places. At we come alongside parents to talk about listening to children, leading children by your own good example, loving children unreservedly. Building relationships rather than meting our consequences. We spend time unpacking the childhood memories of the parents, so that they understand where some of their anger and chaos may come from. It is time to break the cycle of violence in families.

15/05/2026

extending the question on WHO Kids Haven helps...We support ALL children, even those not yet born. Kids Haven has started a new program this year to support pregnant teens and young mums in a local high school. We are building relationship and trust slowly through a once-a-week meeting at school. Our goal - a safe space to share, receive support, ask questions, ensure all children's rights are upheld - whether the mum or newborn child, to help with resources and give these vulnerable mothers and their babies the very best start so that their vulnerabilities decrease and don't increase. We need your help...👶🏿🍼
Please help with a monthly cash donation towards multi-vitamins for mums, and with donations of products like baby wipes, newborn nappies, baby clothes (second hand is fine), sleeping mats, bottles, dummies, and nappy bags. We also need nursing bras and maternity pads. You can contact us on our WhatsApp number 071 860 0505 or [email protected]
Thank you for being our community who cares and protects all children 💙💛

Address

38 Cranbourne Avenue
Benoni
1501

Telephone

+27718600505

Website

http://www.kidshaven.co.za/

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