Doornkop needy children Centre (DNCC) was founded in August 2002 by group of dedicated mothers who saw a need within the community for a place where children could be cared for and safe whilst developing and learning through play.
The initiative to start a day-care centre offered a place of security and care to children who had been roaming the streets without proper supervision. The mothers looked after the children without remuneration for 6 years.
Sipho (a former policeman) was aware of the fact that there were many children in the suburb of Snake Park (within Doornkop), under the age of five (some abused, some abandoned but most extremely poor) that needed some sort of crèche facility. This would ensure that the children did not walk the streets during the day without proper nutrition, clothing, education and safety.
Permission to use a church as a gathering point was secured and, with a team of volunteers, the crèche provides for approximately 160 children in one of the poorest parts of Soweto.
Doornkop is situated next to Dobsonville with 60% of its residents unemployed. Hard stricken by poverty, the pressure on parents or guardians to take appropriate care of young children is enormous.
Proper nutrition, proper care and adequate pre-school tuition are simply beyond the average Soweto family's means. The net result is that young children become trapped and the long term physical and psychological damage can become irreparable.
Doornkop Needy Children’s Centre will also monitor the children’s grants to ensure that the children receive proper nourishment and education. We have established a crèche to render these
services with a R50.00 donation from parents to cater for food and stationery.