A sponsorship exceeding R1 million made by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) has
contributed significantly to puting the finishing touches to a new children’s home in Chatsworth,
Durban, operated by a charitable organisation.
The Aryan Benevolent Home’s previous children’s facility was built in 1976, but now – some 47 years
later – was considered inadequate and lacked the facilities necessary for the holistic care of modern
children.
The organisation set about rebuilding the children’s home, designed to accommodate 108 children
and 16 housemothers, by doubling up four of the seven existing cotages which comprised the
original facility. The project was to cost more than R22 million and the SAMCT’s R1 007 400 funding
was provided for tiling and labour.
Apart from the children’s home aspect, Aryan Benevolent Home serves some 610 people, including
the elderly, frail and disabled, victims of domestic abuse and children.
SAMCT representative, Mr Gaff Osman, said of the organisation’s donation towards the rebuilding
project: “It was clear that whilst originally perfectly adequate and appropriate the organisation’s
children’s facility had become outdated. The social change society has experienced has led to the
need for a more communal approach to child care, ensuring they are best supported to lead safe,
healthy and happy lives.”
Aryan Benevolent Home’s started life in a small wood and iron house in Cato Manor, opening its
doors to three homeless people, but soon became a refuge for the elderly, physically challenged and
chronically ill people in need. Today, the organisation’s flagship operation is located in Chatsworth,
with the organisation expanding its operations significantly to assist the needy.
The new children’s home facility sets out to delineate communal functions from residential
requirements and comprises two residential blocks on either side of a central communal facility for
cooking, dining, and administration. It has been designed to provide for beter supervision of
children in care while they are studying with common study areas for girls and boys.
Mr Osman said: “This is an ambitious, though much-needed project and provides the children here
with the home they so richly deserve. Importantly its overall design and composition ensure that all
its functions centre around the needs of its residents. In view of this, the SAMCT was extremely
pleased to be in the position to partner with the Home and other stakeholders to help bring the
children’s home reconstruction project to fruition.
The SAMCT was created in 2008, the result of a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al
Baraka Bank, for the creation, marketing and distribution of a suite of Shariah Funds. The
organisation provides funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the
vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged. It has been singularly successful in delivering sizeable
assistance solutions throughout South Africa – irrespective of race or religion – and continues to work
to support needy organisations in the fields of healthcare, social development, poverty alleviation
and education.
“I believe our financial contribution has assisted in creating a modern, new facility which ultimately
enables greater interaction amongst the children, the organisation’s management and social workers
now and into the future.