Grant Recipients
The Olivia Sieff Foundation has made financial grants to 4 charities.
All the charities are safe havens, embracing Christian values, that care for abandoned, abused, impoverished and neglected children.
In South Africa, adoption rates have been decreasing since 2017, and the amount of babies being abandoned has radically increased over the same period. So, the gap is widening and there is simply not enough help for the vulnerable in South Africa. Our chosen charities are doing incredible work in this over-burdened and under-resourced sector.
It is a known fact that the babies that fare the best in life are those that are adopted into safe and loving families. We have decided that our focus to begin with, will be to provide financial grants to aid baby sanctuaries, who care for vulnerable babies until they are placed in their “forever families”.
The charities receiving grants are:
Heartlands Baby Sanctuary
A bit about Heartlands…
Heartlands Baby Sanctuary, based in Somerset West in the Western Cape, is a short-term residential safe care facility for up to 25 children. They provide individual specialised care and support to children in desperate need of protection from birth to 6 years old. Children are placed with a valid court order from the Children’s Court. These are children who have been abandoned, abused, neglected, orphaned, ill and / or have moderate disabilities.
Heartlands Baby Sanctuary was born on the 4th of May 2015 and is now celebrating its 8th year of existence. In the past 8 years, they have cared for over 360 children and babies. Within this segment of care in the Western Cape, there is a considerable shortage of short-term residential facilities caring for these children in need, offering a place of safety.
It is important to note that a child who has special needs due to physical, emotional or health reasons requires distinct attention and care, thus health, psychosocial and ECD programmes form the 3 key pillars of their services. Although this does reduce the number of children they are able to serve, they believe it is better to use the resources available to help fewer children effectively rather than more children ineffectively.
In order to be in a position to continue to provide their specialised care to little children, they have 4 sustainability projects including the Book Shop, Coffee Shop, Pre-loved Chic Boutique and their Seeds of Hope Organic Food Garden, which currently contribute approximately 25% towards their budget.
For more information on Heartlands, please go to https://www.heartlandsbaby.org/
How the Olivia Sieff Foundation is helping…
We are funding the building of new therapy rooms, which will be used by the occupational therapists and the social worker for play therapy, as well as an indoor play centre which will lead onto the existing outdoor playground at Heartlands Baby Sanctuary.
The Olivia Sieff Foundation hopes that this building will help to facilitate the healing of these fragile and fractured little souls.
La Culla Safe Haven for Babies
A bit about La Culla…
La Culla was born out of an excess of love from the Maritz family. Their desire to give this love to babies, abandoned for whatever reason, led them to establish La Culla. Protection from harm, illness, cold and discomfort is a primary human right for babies. La Culla is their safe haven. Since opening in 2020, La Culla has helped over 70 babies and have a maximum of 18 babies at any given time.
For more information on La Culla, please go to https://laculla.org.za/
How the Olivia Sieff Foundation is helping…
We are assisting with a fixed monthly grant for 12 months to cover some of La Culla’s costs – including nappies and baby formula.
Sue Gray, Temporary Safe Care Mother
A bit about Sue…
Sue spent years abroad as a missionary and worked with both babies and children in various capacities from being a night nurse and doula to a facilitator. Once back in Cape Town, Sue registered with an adoption agency as a temporary safe care mother / kanga mother and she received her first baby in November 2019. Since then, Sue has cared for 10 babies.
How Sue describes her relationship with our Liv…
In 2016 I had the privilege of being Livi’s cousin Jackie’s facilitator. Olivia and Jackie were in the same class in Grade 7 at Herschel. Olivia had a very special relationship with Jackie, always protective and fiercely loyal. It was in this context that I came to know Liv. She always greeted me with a ready smile, quick to ask how I was, and give a sneaky hug to Jackie. Our relationship grew when I became a part of the Christian union at school and shared about the many adventures I had been on as a missionary. I would often find Liv sitting next to me during these lunch chats, asking pertinent questions.
Later that year I watched her in the musical Annie, and when she was in high school we would interact over Instagram. I observed her life from a distance, encouraging her to pursue her dreams and stay true to who God had called her to be. She had blossomed into a stunning beauty and I was worried what impact the world would have on her. I rejoiced with her when I found out about her matric results, and she saw how my life had changed as I had become a temporary safe care mother. Liv and I shared similar hearts. First our heart for King Jesus and secondly for vulnerable children. I am thankful that I got to witness Liv’s remarkable life and inspire her.
How the Olivia Sieff Foundation is helping…
Sue is in the process of permanently adopting the 10th baby in her care. This baby has been beset with multiple medical issues. With her strong faith and unconditional love, Sue will be the perfect mum.
The Olivia Sieff Foundation is covering the adoption fees for Sue and her new baby.
The Sieff family have no doubt that Liv would be so proud to be part of Sue’s journey to motherhood. #Livslegacy
LIV Cape Town
A bit about LIV Cape Town…
LIV Cape Town is an Early Childhood Development Centre in the impoverished community of Fisantekraal.
LIV Cape Town exists under the umbrella of LIV Village (Lungisisa Indlela Village) which means “The Right Way”. LIV Village was established in 2008 in Durban by a Christian couple, Tich and Joan Smith, as long term foster care facilities for orphaned and vulnerable children were urgently needed. Since then, many LIV villages has been opened across South Africa.
Rob and Niki Mason opened LIV Cape Town in May 2023. It provides a loving and nurturing environment for up to 100 vulnerable children. Many of the children face significant challenges such as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome or developmental delays resulting from malnutrition and other poverty-related factors.
LIV Cape Town hopes to break the cycle of inequality in this community and create a brighter future for generations to come.
For more information on LIV Cape Town, please go to https://www.liv-village.com/cape-town/
How the Olivia Sieff Foundation is helping…
We donated R40,000 to equip their new therapy room and classrooms.
We have also contributed R500,000 towards the building of their new computer centre. This contribution covered half of the total cost of the project.
APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS
If your charity objectives align with ours, submissions should be made in writing to info@oliviasieff.org.
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Contact Us
- info@oliviasieff.org
- +27714931312
- +447712833838