HOLAH
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House of love and hope baby house and home for children with special needs
HOLAH is registered as a place of safety. HOLAH cares for 12-14 children, with the number fluctuating as we as we are called to help in crisis care. We have 2 cottages; one for our babies and toddlers and a separate cottage for our children with special needs, most of whom are in wheelchairs.
Between June 2012 and May 2022 we have cared for and loved over 150 mostly abandoned babies. We work alongside child protection organizations, the South African Police Service and hospitals and have dedicated ourselves to nurturing these babies until suitable adoptive families can be found or reunification with their family can happen.
We ensure as far as is possible that all our children with disabilities have the specialized treatment and therapy they need to reach their full potential. Currently 6 of our children have severe Cerebral Palsy, so their needs are very specialized and require wheelchairs, special sitting chairs, walking frames, alternative communication systems and more. They also require daily therapy with our in house therapist, weekly visits from our Movement therapist and monthly visits from our physio therapist.
At HOLAH we are passionate about providing a loving homely environment for the little ones in our care, giving them everything we can to ensure they meet their milestones and thrive. We want to give them the best start possible by meeting their basic needs as well showering them with all the love and nurture that they deserve. An important focus is the forming of bonds with all their caregivers & the regular volunteers. The HOUSE of LOVE and HOPE is not in name only. We passionately live into the name every single day.
ADOPTION is important. If there is no chance of family reunification, our goal is for every child to be matched to their forever-family. This process can be lengthy, which means the children are with us for any amount of time from two months to over two years. We are committed to providing stability for babies and children and believe they must not be moved around from one home to the next. Once in our care, a child will stay with us until we are able to work out the best long-term outcome for them. When they are ready they attend crech or school in assagy and all have swimming lessons in the summer months.
Our bigger challenge is with the children with disabilities. It is very hard to find them forever families, although we do try. We have committed to all our children with special needs that they have a long term, indefinite home at HOLAH if there is no chance of family reunification or adoption. Our long term goal is to set up a larger house with wheel chair ramps, hoists and everything needed as they become teens and then adults with special needs.
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