For the Ladies at St. Anne's Homes

Since February, I have been co-oping at a nonprofit in Cape Town, South Africa called St. Anne’s Homes. It is a three-stage shelter for destitute, abused, and disadvantaged women and their children. The second and third stage serve as temporary independent living shelters, where the women are encouraged to utilize skills they have acquired from first stage to acclimate to life on their own. The first stage has a few different purposes. It is a temporary shelter that houses about fifteen women and their children at a time; it has a crèche which consists of a nursery room, a toddler class, a preschool, and child therapy section; it functions as a place where the women can obtain legal counsel and attend skills classes; and it is where all the administrative work is done to keep St. Anne’s running. This is where I work.

Being at the first stage has allowed me to see all the different aspects of running a nonprofit organization geared towards empowering abused women and educating others on domestic violence. I have seen firsthand how important the work these shelters do is to creating social change on a small and large scale. During my time here, I have seen many courageous women seek shelter at St. Anne’s during their most vulnerable, and leave with a newfound confidence and hope for the future. I have seen shy quiet children become energetic and joyful. I have seen a tangible change that needs to continue. The St. Anne’s staff is breaking the perpetuation of and stigma around domestic violence and they need your help to accomplish this.

Currently, the nonprofit is facing a financial crisis. Without sufficient funds, St. Anne’s cannot function to its full potential. During my time here, I have found a home at St. Anne’s. I am reaching out to friends, family, and anyone else who would like to be a part of the St. Anne’s family as well, to donate. Currently, one out of six women in South Africa is a victim of domestic violence. The work being done here at St. Anne’s is helping to reduce this statistic. Please help St. Anne’s change the lives of not only the women and children at our shelters, but also Cape Town’s community at large.

Donations made to the organization will be used to buy new beds, replace dressers, purchase bed sheets, stock the food pantry, repair the shelters’ walls, clothe the women and children, and more. All donations are welcome and greatly appreciated.

For more information on St. Anne's Homes, here is the organization's website: http://www.stanneshomes.org.za/