Christel House is a local, non-profit school based in Ottery, Cape Town. The school opened its doors in 2002 when founder Christel DeHaan introduced a holistic educational model, providing free top-quality education to children from under-resourced communities in Cape Town.
Its goal is to break the cycle of abject poverty by offering no-fee scholarships to students from some of Cape Town’s poorest neighbourhoods and supporting them for 19 years (Grade RR to Grade 12 and five years post-matric) through character-based and career focused education. Admission to Christel House is not evidence of talent, but evidence of poverty, measured by a maximum average income of R1,500 per household member per month.
Already serving 752 learners from surrounding settlements, including Langa, Hanover Park and Manenberg, Christel House’s holistic development model includes poverty mitigation services such as daily transport to and from school, professional health care, nutritious meals, psychosocial counselling, family assistance and college and careers planning and support. It also supports more than 220 post-matric graduates.