For orphaned and abandoned children in the Western Cape, Home from Home provides loving care through safe, community-based, family-style, cluster foster care homes. A total of 35 homes are situated across 16 communities —from Westlake to Ocean View and Masiphumelele, Khayelitsha, Ruytewacht and Kayamandi and more.

For the team at Home from Home, it’s incredible to witness the enormous difference that a stable and loving family environment makes to a child’s life. For the close to 200 foster children — with six per household — children get the chance to experience foster sibling relationships, and are cared for by a dedicated foster mother. They also receive support from an experienced social worker.

Home from Home believes that every child has a story. Amaza — one of the young people who is in matric this year — first came to live in a foster home in Khayelitsha at the age of three when, due to extreme poverty, her parents were unable to take care of her.

This incredible young woman has shown focus and sheer determination, learning to swim at 11 years old and, just six years later, joining Monwabisi lifesaving in Khayelitsha, before becoming a member of the Western Cape Life Saving Team. When hard lockdown was announced last March, Amaza had been excitedly training six days a week after school, in preparation for the National Champs. Sadly, the event was cancelled.

Yet despite the challenge of limited data and no WiFi access, Amaza kept focused throughout lockdown by training and staying fit and downloading exercise classes from YouTube.