EBOR AND OOSTERLAND CHILD AND YOUTH CARE CENTRE, EMPOWERING THE FUTURE TOGETHER
Oosterland Child and Youth Care Centre, located in Despatch, Eastern Cape, South Africa, has been a haven for vulnerable children since 1980. The centre provides care for children who have been found in need of protection by the Children’s Court due to abuse, abandonment or even orphanhood. With a mission to support as well as empower children, Oosterland creates a loving environment where they can experience permanency and dignity while preparing for a brighter future. The facility consists of seven residential cottages, each staffed by in-living Child and Youth Care Workers who ensure a homely environment. Children actively contribute to the broader community by attending school, church, sports, and cultural activities, while also joining in on various developmental projects at the centre. Many of the children, ranging from infancy to 18 years, come from the Nelson Mandela Metropole.
Oosterland employs a dedicated team of social workers, while basic health care is overseen by a health and wellness officer. Education is of importance to Oosterland, with toddlers enrolled in the Oosterland Educare programme and tutoring support provided by three educators and three tutors for children with learning challenges. Currently, Oosterland’s children attend 16 different schools and 3 community creches, in Despatch and Uitenhage, with school placements fitted to their specific educational needs as well as language preferences.
Oosterland’s core services include residential care for children in a nurturing family environment, all-inclusive education services, comprising of early childhood education and tutoring support and family reunification efforts, which place children in community-based families to ease reintegration and foster care placements. The centre serves children aged 0-18 who are in need of care and protection, also relating to those with mental disabilities, victims of abuse and neglect as well as children affected by HIV, poverty, substance abuse and unemployment.
Each year, Oosterland successfully reunites between 20 and 30 children with their families. Furthermore, the centre offers bursaries to former residents pursuing higher education, presenting over 35 bursaries in the past decade. Sustainability is a crucial focus, with offers such as catering services, on-site charity shop and residential rentals helping to support the centre’s sustainability efforts. Through its universal approach, Oosterland continues to transform the lives of at-risk children, equipping them with the skills and support needed to flourish.
At Ebor, we believe in the power of community and the significance of supporting children and youth as they grow. Supporting Oosterland Child and Youth Care Centre is our way of investing in a more optimistic future, providing care, stability as well opportunities for those who need it the most. Every child deserves a safe space, guidance and the chance to reach their full capability, and we are proud to be able to play a role in making that possible. Our commitment goes further than business, it’s about making a real change and helping to build a stronger, more supportive community for the next generation.
We are proud to support Oosterland Child and Youth Care Centre and grateful for the chance to make an encouraging impact in the lives of these children and young individuals.
