Cape Town - Thirty-six destitute children will soon be able to call a new orphanage home. Chinese dignitaries including the ambassador to South Africa, Tian Xuejun, unveiled China House in Schaapkraal on Monday.
Xuejun said he was excited about the launch of the orphanage and complimented the architecture, saying it was “beautiful and functional”.
“The children of South Africa and China are the future of both of our nations… today we are leaving a drop of love and in the future hope they will return it with an ocean of love.”
The building of the orphanage started two years ago and cost the Soong Ching Ling organisation R2.2 million to build. It has nine rooms, each housing four beds.
Vice-president of the organisation Chunlan Li said it was a special day for the organisation, especially because Monday was International Children’s Day.
“This (orphanage) will be an essential stepping stone towards their future as they will also learn skills to prepare them for employment here and they will also receive psychological support.”
Youth development co-ordinator Owen Mdledle said the children will come from the Baphumele Children’s Home to live in China House once they turn 18.
“The children are aged between 18 and 21 and the main thing we want to make sure is that we equip them with skills that will allow them to be independent and be able to work once they have completed school.”
Mdledle said not all the rooms had been filled yet, and there were processes that they had to go through before a child becomes a resident of the home.
“They come from different but challenging backgrounds; like some are from homes where they suffered various forms of abuse, while others don’t have both parents.”
Mayor Patricia de Lille was among the South African guests who were present at the event, and said she was there to celebrate the hard work and goodwill put into the building of the home.
“Today we do not only gather to reflect, but we are privileged to see an active demonstration of the upliftment of the most vulnerable members of our society. On days like today, we find our hope restored.”
She added that 10 percent of children in the province were orphans.
“The deterioration of South African family structures as a result of labour migration and poverty caused many children to grow up and live without their biological parents.”
Cape Argus