Cape Town is the Mother City of South Africa, located at the southernmost tip of Africa. It is home to one of the Wonders of the World, Table Mountain, which is surrounded by world-class beaches, lush forests, parks and hiking trails, indigenous flora, fauna, and well-known citrus fruits and grapes. This, while boasting state of the art buildings, malls, art galleries and museums, mosques, cathedrals, and shrines. It’s a city rich in history and notably cosmopolitan with a mixture of different cultures and religious backgrounds. It is also a city affected by struggle.
From the early colonization by the Dutch and accompanying slavery to the infamous injustices of Apartheid and the ever-present struggle towards true democracy and human equality. This has left a legacy of inequality and division in the communities of Cape Town, which range from the affluent to the educated professionals, to the laborers and the very poor and homeless. This, in turn, has led to ever-increasing societal diseases like drugs, gangsterism, gender violence, and general moral degradation. As a consequence, we have large numbers of vulnerable children in need of care and protection, like orphans.
Our founder Dian Alyan was invited to speak at a major conference in Johannesburg to speak about her journey founding GiveLight. It was during that conference she met a few volunteers who later became the core team of GLSA. After she returned to California, we started our search for land donation on which to build our next dream home.
The non-profit organization GLSA was established together with an Executive Board and a team of volunteer professionals.
The search over the last 5 years has been a tedious one, with many logistical stumbling blocks. During this time, GLSA has been familiarizing themselves with the landscape of orphans in the city by supporting 4 homes for orphans and abandoned children.
The team provided financial support, share Ramadan and Eid gifts with these children.
In 2020 we finally found 4000sqm of land in a semi-rural farm area. The purchase of the land was made possible through generous donors and once registered, was declared waqf or endowed.
The location of the land (being farmland) is ideal for our vision of sustainable green living, open spaces, and a holistic upbringing for the children. However, the municipal regulations are quite stringent and zoning applications are currently being pursued to fulfill the necessary criteria for a development of this nature. To date, the pro bono architect, Kate Otten Architectural firm, has done the first draft design of our children’s village which aims to accommodate up to 64 orphans. The Quantity Surveyors, AIMQS, have offered their services pro bono as well and have compiled a report of the estimated cost of the development.
Presently, structural engineers, land surveyors, and electrical engineers are being consulted in anticipation of construction. Thereafter we will invite tenders for construction and landscaping. In the meanwhile, we have been consulting with the local Department of Social Development who are instrumental in the identification of eligible orphaned children.
The next step is to invite funding, both locally and internationally, for the construction of this blessed children’s village. Our vision is to establish an aesthetically beautiful home for our children, nurturing them from childhood through youth, and on to adulthood.
We want to create a place of peace, love, and light for them to learn, play, and grow… a green environment with gardens and fruit trees and open spaces to play. Their learning will be holistic, incorporating the sciences, languages, technology, art, sports activities such as silat, karate, archery, swimming, and horse riding. Their emotional and spiritual well-being will be nurtured through play therapy, life coaching as well as teachings about morality and ethics. Their guardians and caregivers will be carefully screened and selected to ensure that they are nurtured in a secure, safe, loving, and wholesome environment. We invite you to connect your hearts to GiveLight SA and join us on this journey with our children….
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