Cause Index

Thandi House

Thandi House is a family-based long-term home run by Mark and Rene Morcom. For 10 years, we have cared for the broken and forgotten children of this town, giving them the love and a family they deserve. Thandi House cares for up to 25 children, including young girls faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Viewing our role as ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ as integral in their lives.

Who they are and what they become depends on our ability to give of ourselves to fill their lives with unconditional love and security. By doing this the gain a knowing that they belong. Taking every child into our family as our own and they will remain with us for as long as they need. The charity does not turn away children on their 18th birthday as many other homes do. Support and love are given at every stage, all the way into adulthood. We care for them until they can stand on their own two feet. This is at the core of our ethos. Family is forever, after all.

Started in 2009 after many newborn babies found dead in trash cans, gutters, fields and public toilets. The name “Thandi” is a Zulu word meaning “love”. We named the home after a little girl that came into the home. Counted amongst the few babies found alive during this time. She was just one day old, found by a man passing by, on a street corner in a sealed plastic bag. This little baby became a beacon of hope that we could save many other babies.
One of the first things we did was install a baby box (a computerized box installed in a church wall). It is a safe, legal way to abandon an unwanted baby without bringing any harm to the baby. The organization hoped that the box would provide safe options to moms and has since brought down the death rate of babies found to almost none at the current time. Once opening our home to these precious unwanted babies, we fell more in love. Feeling cold and resolute in our commitment to give of our lives to save and serve children without hope, without love and without a mom and dad.
We love and care for, and are mommy and daddy to a variety of children in need. Caring for abandoned babies, to rape and abused children, blind, mentally and physically disabled children and terminally ill children. Also, we care for young pregnant teenage girls who have no support or family to care for them or their baby. We are a registered non-profit and tax-exempt charity in South Africa under the name ASSIST and don’t receive funding from the government for a variety of reasons. We rely on the kindness of individuals and businesses to keep our doors open, our rent paid, our fridge full and our children in school.

Click here to make a donation now