Forever Angels is a place of safety for abused and abandoned babies and toddlers. The facility was established in February 2009 when they were approved as a place of safety parents by Tshwane Place of Safety Association. Their first child in crisis was admitted then and the place grew by reputation. Mrs Ursula van den Berg provides these little ones with the unique opportunity of experiencing a family unit instead of being placed in a home and just becoming one of many. Each one of her little charges gets the attention she would have given her own biological children.
According to her, most of the children are abandoned by their parents or are removed from circumstances of abuse by the state. Others are left their by young, teenage mothers who are simply unable to care properly for their babies. She has a rule for these young girls…they MUST, at all cost, return to school and she monitors their academic progress carefully. Some of these mothers are still involved with the children, while others are never heard from again.
The van den Berg’s do not foster or adopt these children. The children are placed in their care by social workers until such time as suitable foster or adoptive parents can be found. In the meantime these little ones are nurtured and taken care of extremely well. Forever Angels is a family affair….everyone is involved. When I arrived, the two older brothers were sitting with babies on their laps…mom was busy with another little angel in the nursery…..it looked like an ordinary, busy household. There is one caregiver that comes in daily to help with the duties and they often have volunteers coming around to lend a hand.
Of course, running a household with just one source of regular income, can be quite daunting under the best of circumstances, and with the additional burden of a couple of infants, you can very well imagine how hard it can get. Forever Angels are blessed with benefactors that supply milk formula and nappies from time to time. They receive some financial support from a construction company that pay’s the caregiver’s salary each month. The rent on the property is R 10000.00 per month….but it is wonderfully suitable for their needs. There is ample space for the little ones to play and, with several houses, there is enough room for everyone. The little girls sleep in one room, while the babies are kept in the master bedroom for the time being, as they require 24/7 attention. However, there is always something that’s needed and/or required….medicine, should the children get sick and even medical care, nappies, despite the donations received, are ALWAYS welcome….Ursula didn’t mention this on the application, but I should think food for the toddler’s and baby food for those ‘growing out’ of milk formula, extra people to help around the house (remember, she only has one caregiver, and has no one to tend to general household chores), a vehicle, big enough to transport the children in their car seats AND the strollers, sterilizing equipment and solution, wet wipes, toiletries like baby bath products, baby powder, bum cream, etc., washing powder (for the extra laundry) and extra washing machine and dryer…I think, if I put my mind to this, the list can go on and on.
Although she needs things for the project far more than I think she put on (she says she hates to ask for something), Ursula has such a giving and kind heart. There are extra cot’s, donated by Steve Biko Hospital, toys, clothes, changing tables, strollers and car seats, that she has no use for at the moment and she is adamant to donate these to other facilities that may need it (so, people, take note of this and contact me if you know about someone who can utilize these items).
Despite their needs (which are quite obvious), Ursula is doing a remarkable job. At the basis of all her hard work….the day-to-day caring for these children, the disciplining, the teaching them about family life and the world outside, there is the most important thing….love. She teaches them that, whatever color your skin may be, you deserve to be loved and respected for the person you are. As she so aptly put it, who knows, maybe she is taking care of the future president of South Africa, and she wants him (or her) to know that the color of your skin, your cultural and ethnic background, nothing determines what kind of person you are but that which is in your heart….love and to value your own life and of all those around you.
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