R1m children‘s home officially launched at Blanco, George

By Cathy Dippnall Garden Route Correspondent

A NEW R1-million initiative aimed at keeping destitute children and their parents off the street was launched by George executive mayor Bazil Petrus at an official sod turning in Blanco, George, yesterday.

The Blanco Children‘s Home is the result of meetings between the George municipality and numerous NGOs and government departments last year.

The main aim of these meetings was finding ways of helping the growing population of street children who have become a problem in the town.

Land was identified in Blanco next to the clinic, community hall and library, and within walking distance of the local primary school. The complex, costing R1-million, will initially house six children and two house parents.

The land is big enough for another three or four houses to be built as the project progresses.

Deputy mayor Flip de Swardt said George was the first municipality that he was aware of that had undertaken a community project such as this one.

“Apart from the capital expenditure, the municipality is not going to manage the project. That is for the community, service organisations and the board of directors to run and to raise funds for,” he said.

The municipality has facilitated the project with Credo, a religious organisation, and is being assisted by welfare organisation Badisa and Christian medical services and relief, working closely with children‘s home St Mary‘s and several service clubs in George.

George municipal health director Dr Michele Gratz said it was necessary to re-integrate street children into society.

“They are often a symptom of a dysfunctional family – we need to address the whole family.

“Ideally we would like to accommodate as many children as we can, however we do not forcefully remove them off the streets. The children must want to be re-unified back into society,” Gratz said.

cdippnall@johnnicec.co.za