Annually on 1 June International Children’s Day is celebrated. In commemoration of this day, TygerBurger reached out to Alison Alexander, the mother at Rainbow of Hope in Goodwood, who opened her doors in 2007 and took children in.
Rainbow of Hope, lovingly known as Rainbow House, operates as a place of safety for vulnerable children in Cape Town.
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According to Alexander, she is very grateful to impact children’s lives positively. “I am honoured and privileged to be able to touch so many lives in one lifetime,” says Alexander. According to her, she can only do the work she does due to the relationships built with partners, donors and the benevolence of the ordinary man in the street. “Together we are so much stronger.”
‘A chance at a future’
says Alexander.
However, she feels that their institutions and homes have become nothing but a holding bay till children are 18, after which they end up on the streets anyway as they have no family support as well as no opportunity at a future. There are currently nine children at Rainbow House with one child waiting to be taken in, but there is no space in the school nearest to Rainbow of Hope. “We also have Assisted Independent Living for over 18s where there are two girls currently living. One studying for a B Ed degree and the other failed Grade 11 a few years ago, went to work and last year went to night school to complete her matric. She is currently writing her final two subjects.
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‘Improve the safety of children’
Alexander hopes that the outcome of the election will improve the general safety of children and for “family reunification, which is the biggest farce in South Africa, as well as undocumented children – there are far too many and without an ID these kids amount to nothing. They can’t attend school without an ID, they cannot study further without an ID and they can’t even work without an ID,” explains Alexander.
Should the public like to lend a helping hand and contribute to the Rainbow of Hope, the House has a website which you can visit and there is all the information you need to participate in crafting a future for these boys and girls.
- Rainbow of Hope also has an email address if they would like to email: info@rainbowofhope.co.za
