our children
are our biggest treasure

(nelson mandela)

What we do

Our children's home St. Joseph in Mbongolwane provides a safe haven for up to 30 children. These children suffer from trauma through domestic violence and neglect. Some of them are HIV-positive. Our work is divided into four main categories:

Share love

In St. Joseph, we give the children a safe haven to enable them to grow and develop in their own pace. This is their “home away from home”, where all of them are loved and cared for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

give education

Our children’s home is situated in a very rural area without a lot of infrastructure. Our children visit the crèche on the mission’s premises and later move on to a selected primary school in the surrounding area.

preserve culture

Our children grow up in rural Zululand. We want their lives to feel normal and for them to feel connected with their culture. That’s why we promote local Zulu customs and traditions in our daily work.

Build a network

The roots of our congregation lie in Germany, but we also have convents in the USA and South Africa. We are building international networks with friends and donors to support the work in St. Joseph CYCC.

Where we work

KwaZulu-Natal ist eine der ärmsten Provinzen von Südafrika. Mbongolwane liegt auf dem Land, mitten im Herzen der Provinz.
More than half of all South Africans have less than 1,50 Euro a day

South Africa has a society with one of the biggest inequality rates worldwide. A small middle and upper class draws a picture of a thriving society. In reality, more than half of the population has less than 25 Rand (1,50 Euro) per day. One out of five South Africans doesn't know how to pay his next meal. One of the poorest provinces is KwaZulu-Natal, where St. Joseph CYCC is based. In the rural area of Mbongolwane, people suffer from numerous problems. High unemployment and bad living standards lead to high numbers of domestic and gender-based violence, alcoholism and drug abuse. HIV is a huge problem. More than half of all women between 30 and 39 years live with the virus. In St. Joseph, some of the children are HIV-positive as well.

  • More than half of all South Africans live off 25 Rand a day.

  • 61% of all poor people in KwaZulu-Natal are younger than 25. They often don't have a chance.

  • 25% of all adults in KZN are HIV positive. With women between 30 and 40 years, the number is 56%.

  • 21% of all households in KZN don't have access to electricity. 13% don't have access to water.

Our children

Real children. Real stories. Real possibilities to help.

builder

With his own hands, he wants to start building his home country South Africa step by step.

doctor

She wants to learn to heal all sicknesses that are causing serious pain to people around her.

teacher

When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher, gather knowledge and share it with the next generation.

policeman

He wants to defend law and order and fight for the security and freedom of his fellow citizens.

We are a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) in South Africa

Contact us

Are you interested in our work? We are happy to hear from you!