Every child deserves to grow up in a family. It is within families that children learn love, resilience, and belonging. Yet across South Africa, thousands of children continue to be placed in institutions when poverty, crisis, or loss leaves families struggling. While orphanages and other institutional settings are often seen as a quick solution, decades of evidence show they cannot meet a child’s emotional and developmental needs. Children need families, not institutions.
At One Child One Family – Hope and Homes for Children South Africa, our vision is a world without orphanages—a South Africa where no child grows up without the love and care of a family. Our mission is simple but urgent: to stop the institutionalisation of children by preventing family separation, strengthening vulnerable families, and building a child protection system that prioritises family- and community-based care.
The Challenge We Face
In South Africa, many children end up in institutions not because they are orphaned, but because of poverty, unemployment, violence, or lack of support for parents and caregivers. Orphanages may appear to provide shelter, but they cannot replace the security of being loved by a consistent caregiver. Separation itself often causes lifelong trauma, affecting children’s mental health, relationships, and chances of thriving later in life.
Our Response: One Child, One Family
Through the Rooted in Families campaign, we are raising our collective voice to say that children belong in families. In South Africa, our team works directly with vulnerable families to prevent separation, providing support that may include counselling, parenting guidance, referrals to services, or emergency assistance. We also advocate with government and partners to reform child protection policies so that every child’s right to family-based care is protected.
We believe in the principle of One Child, One Family—because every child’s story matters, and every child’s well-being depends on the foundation of family.
Stories of Hope
One story that illustrates the power of family-based care is that of Sima. After spending much of her early childhood in an institution, she was reunited with her maternal aunt, Nozi, who had always been a source of love and stability in her life. With support from social workers and the court, Nozi was granted guardianship, giving Sima the chance to grow up in a safe and nurturing home.
The transition was not easy. Sima arrived shy, fearful, and withdrawn. But with patience, care, and the consistent love of her aunt, she began to thrive. Her school performance improved, her confidence grew, and most importantly, she regained her sense of belonging. Sima’s story is a powerful reminder that children don’t need institutions—they need families.
Why This Campaign Matters
The Rooted in Families campaign gives us the opportunity to highlight why deinstitutionalisation is not just a dream—it is a necessity. By investing in families, we prevent trauma, strengthen communities, and create a stronger South Africa.
If we want a prosperous future, we must start by protecting its foundation—our families. Let us invest in the most vulnerable, not out of charity, but out of justice. Because when families thrive, nations rise.
We will continue to work for the day when every child can say:
“I grew up in a family, not an institution.”
Hope and Homes for Children – South Africa
