AMAZING GRACE
BY KATLEGO MKHWANAZI
DRUM INSPIRATION
AMAZING GRACE
This selfless woman has dedicated her life to giving hundreds of abandoned children the love and care they deserve
I
T’S been 24 years since Grace Busisiwe Mashaba (65) turned a rented house in Malelane, Mpumalanga, into a home for streetkids. In those 24 years she has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of children by making them feel wanted, cared for and loved. Grace started out by cooking for homeless children at her home. She also collected food and blankets from the community for the children and, seeing a growing need for shelter, she rented a house so the kids would have somewhere to live. The house was later registered as a non-profit organisation called Malelane Care Centre but was later renamed The Amazing Grace Children’s Home. “When I started the house was very small and the number of kids coming in was growing monthly, so I was forced to extend to 12 rooms.” Today Grace is the director of two centres: the original one in Malelane and another in Eikenhof, Johannesburg. The Eikenhof home was donated by the New Apostolic Church in 2004. Now Grace and her staff of seven not only care for streetkids but for any child who needs a safe environment. The kids are also equipped with basic life skills. Both centres accomodate about 256 children. “I have staff members who take care of the children day and night, and they’re very dedicated.”
ABOVE and CIRCLE: Grace Busisiwe Mashaba (wearing glasses), founder of The Amazing Grace Children’s Home (ABOVE LEFT), has changed the lives of many homeless children.
The home in Eikenhof was built to care for victims of abuse, children living with HIV/Aids, orphans or children without guardians. Grace also helps people in the community with shelter, healthcare, training related to HIV/Aids and counselling. It’s Grace’s difficult upbringing that motivated her to help those less fortunate. Born in Emjindini, Mpumalanga, her mother died when she was four years old and she was sexually abused from a young age. After an abortion in her teens, Grace was left sterile. She married at 22 but the fact that she couldn’t fall pregnant led to the breakdown of her marriage five years later. “When I found out I couldn’t have kids of my own I was angry because I knew God hadn’t made me like this. I didn’t think I would be able to forgive but today I have.” Today Grace’s tears have been wiped away by the fact that she’s been a mother to hundreds of children. She also adopted three of the children she met at the centre – Grace, Thabo and Portia. When she started the centre in Male-
lane she didn’t have enough money to keep it running. “I worked part-time jobs and later sold my house and cars to finance the home for the next 15 years.” Grace also had a sewing and upholstery business that generated income to support the children. “Ten per cent of the children I raised are working. Some have obtained degrees and diplomas. Many are married and we are also blessed with two pastors. Very few of them are back on the streets – only 5%, in fact. Those who are now working serve as role models for those who are still in school.” Today she gets some help from the department of social development but depends largely on donations. “Grace is doing an outstanding job with the centres. She can do much more if more people came on board to assist her,” says Pastor Des Naidoo from Metro Africa Church, which runs educational programmes at the centre. “To look after children who have no one and help them succeed makes me feel like a true mother,” Grace says. □ FOR MORE INFO Go to www.youcanhelp.co.za
www.drum.co.za
23 May 2013 | 47
DRUM INSPIRATION
AMAZING GRACE
This selfless woman has dedicated her life to giving hundreds of abandoned children the love and care they deserve
I
T’S been 24 years since Grace Busisiwe Mashaba (65) turned a rented house in Malelane, Mpumalanga, into a home for streetkids. In those 24 years she has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of children by making them feel wanted, cared for and loved. Grace started out by cooking for homeless children at her home. She also collected food and blankets from the community for the children and, seeing a growing need for shelter, she rented a house so the kids would have somewhere to live. The house was later registered as a non-profit organisation called Malelane Care Centre but was later renamed The Amazing Grace Children’s Home. “When I started the house was very small and the number of kids coming in was growing monthly, so I was forced to extend to 12 rooms.” Today Grace is the director of two centres: the original one in Malelane and another in Eikenhof, Johannesburg. The Eikenhof home was donated by the New Apostolic Church in 2004. Now Grace and her staff of seven not only care for streetkids but for any child who needs a safe environment. The kids are also equipped with basic life skills. Both centres accomodate about 256 children. “I have staff members who take care of the children day and night, and they’re very dedicated.”
ABOVE and CIRCLE: Grace Busisiwe Mashaba (wearing glasses), founder of The Amazing Grace Children’s Home (ABOVE LEFT), has changed the lives of many homeless children.
The home in Eikenhof was built to care for victims of abuse, children living with HIV/Aids, orphans or children without guardians. Grace also helps people in the community with shelter, healthcare, training related to HIV/Aids and counselling. It’s Grace’s difficult upbringing that motivated her to help those less fortunate. Born in Emjindini, Mpumalanga, her mother died when she was four years old and she was sexually abused from a young age. After an abortion in her teens, Grace was left sterile. She married at 22 but the fact that she couldn’t fall pregnant led to the breakdown of her marriage five years later. “When I found out I couldn’t have kids of my own I was angry because I knew God hadn’t made me like this. I didn’t think I would be able to forgive but today I have.” Today Grace’s tears have been wiped away by the fact that she’s been a mother to hundreds of children. She also adopted three of the children she met at the centre – Grace, Thabo and Portia. When she started the centre in Male-
lane she didn’t have enough money to keep it running. “I worked part-time jobs and later sold my house and cars to finance the home for the next 15 years.” Grace also had a sewing and upholstery business that generated income to support the children. “Ten per cent of the children I raised are working. Some have obtained degrees and diplomas. Many are married and we are also blessed with two pastors. Very few of them are back on the streets – only 5%, in fact. Those who are now working serve as role models for those who are still in school.” Today she gets some help from the department of social development but depends largely on donations. “Grace is doing an outstanding job with the centres. She can do much more if more people came on board to assist her,” says Pastor Des Naidoo from Metro Africa Church, which runs educational programmes at the centre. “To look after children who have no one and help them succeed makes me feel like a true mother,” Grace says. □ FOR MORE INFO Go to www.youcanhelp.co.za
www.drum.co.za
23 May 2013 | 47
