What will you leave behind?

It’s a question that goes beyond possessions, property or finances. Your legacy can also be the difference you make in the lives of others – the hope you leave behind and the future you help build.

For more than 120 years, the Durban Child & Youth Care Centre has been a place of safety, care and opportunity for children who have experienced neglect, abuse or abandonment.

Children’s needs haven’t changed. They still need somewhere safe to call home, adults they can trust, nutritious meals, education, guidance and, most importantly, the chance to believe in a better future.

That’s why we’re thinking beyond today.

This National Wills Week, from 14–18 September 2026, please consider leaving a lasting gift to the Durban Child & Youth Care Centre in your Will.

Including us in your Will is one way to help ensure that our work can continue for generations to come. Whether you choose to leave a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, property or another valued possession, your gift can help provide care and opportunity for children who need it most.

And you don’t need to be wealthy to make a difference.

A gift in your Will can be small or sizable. What matters is your decision to invest in a future where vulnerable children are protected, supported and given every opportunity to thrive.

Wills Week is also the perfect opportunity to put your own affairs in order. During National Wills Week, participating attorneys offer members of the public the opportunity to have a basic Will drafted free of charge.

As you make plans for your own loved ones and the future you want for them, perhaps you could also consider the future of children you may never meet.

Your Will can do more than distribute what you leave behind.

It can leave behind hope.

If you decide to name the Durban Child & Youth Care Centre in your Will, please let us know. We would like to thank you personally and, if you wish, hear about the legacy you hope your gift will create.

Thank you for helping us make sure that vulnerable children will always have somewhere to turn.

Grateful thanks to our corporate Christmas Angels – your generous support brings so much joy into our Home

Durban Child & Youth Care Centre

children deserve to be safe & happy

In a perfect world, every child would grow up in a loving home – with enough food, clothing and opportunities to play and learn.

But it’s not a perfect world.

The Durban Child & Youth Care Centre strives to give children who’ve been orphaned, abandoned, neglected or abused, another chance of a happy childhood. We provide a safe home, all the daily necessities, education and encouragement to help them develop into healthy, well-adjusted kids.

Wherever possible, we work with the family to enable children to return home. Because every child needs a place to belong.

WATCH OUR VIDEO TO FIND OUT MORE

SOUTH AFRICA’S CHILDREN ARE HURTING

In mid 2018, South Africa was home to 19.7 million children under the age of 18
Of these:

million orphans

million dependent on grants

thousand live in
child only households

%

live below
the poverty line

HOW WE HELP

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

RESIDENTIAL CARE

OUR PROGRAMMES

RESIDENTIAL CARE

Up to 60 boys and girls, between the ages of 2-18, live in three units. They attend local schools and receive counseling, remedial teaching, therapy and other activities designed to encourage them to develop skills, talents and confidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

AMAQHAWE CENTRE

OUR PROGRAMMES

AMAQHAWE CENTRE

This is a home for 14 children suffering from chronic life threatening illnesses (mainly HIV) and disabilities. We focus on their emotional, spiritual and medical care. Wherever possible, families are encouraged to be involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

OUR PROGRAMMES

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Professional support to other child & youth care centres, the National Association of Child Care Workers, Regional Youth Forum, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

RESIDENTIAL CARE

OUR PROGRAMMES

RESIDENTIAL CARE

Up to 60 boys and girls, between the ages of 2-18, live in three units. They attend local schools and receive counseling, remedial teaching, therapy and other activities designed to encourage them to develop skills, talents and confidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

AMAQHAWE CENTRE

OUR PROGRAMMES

AMAQHAWE CENTRE

This is a home for 14 children suffering from chronic life threatening illnesses (mainly HIV) and disabilities. We focus on their emotional, spiritual and medical care. Wherever possible, families are encouraged to be involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROGRAMMES

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

OUR PROGRAMMES

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Professional support to other child & youth care centres, the National Association of Child Care Workers, Regional Youth Forum, etc.

 

Play your part

Although we receive a government subsidy for each child, this is nowhere near the real cost of caring.
Your donation helps provide food, shelter, education, medical care and the therapeutic programmes
these children need to overcome their unhappy past and develop into confident, happy young people.

 

Make a donation

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

Gifts in Kind

We appreciate donations of non-perishable food items, clothing and toiletries. Please contact us for a list of our most pressing needs.

Get a MySchool Card

Choose the Durban Child & Youth Care Centre as the beneficiary of your MySchool card and help raise funds every time you swipe the card.

Volunteer

Helping with homework, mentoring older children and sewing clothes are just some of the ways you can make a difference.

Maintenance

Provide a regular monthly service like removal of garden refuse, or general maintenance like replacing light bulbs and tap washers.

Fundraise for us

Run a marathon and ask your friends to sponsor you … or ask for donations to DCYCC in lieu of birthday or Christmas gifts.

Set up a monthly payment

Even small donations – made regularly every month by debit order or recurring EFT – add up to a whole lot of help.

Leave a bequest

One sentence in your will could make a lasting impact on a child’s life – and costs you nothing right now!

Sponsor a child

Sponsor a child

Contribute towards the cost of caring for one child, with a regular monthly donation towards food, clothing, education and medical bills.

What’s happening at our Home

Message from the Director

Message from the Director

"If our youth are tomorrow’s leaders, what is the hope we give them today?" Having participated in Child Protection Week between the 29 May and 5 June, and now preparing for Youth Day on the 16 June, the significance of the month of June in our country is elevated....

Help feed hope this School Holiday

Help feed hope this School Holiday

As the Term 2 school holidays approach, we are once again calling on our community to help ensure that no child in our care goes hungry while spending time with their families. Our annual Buckets of Love Campaign provides essential food hampers to children returning...

Make your Mandela Day matter

Make your Mandela Day matter

Every year, Mandela Day inspires people across South Africa and around the world to make a positive impact through acts of service, generosity, and compassion. It is an opportunity to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela by helping to create meaningful change in the...

Child Protection Week 2026

Child Protection Week 2026

Child Protection Week serves as an important reminder that every child has the right to grow up in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment. It also highlights the shared responsibility of families, communities, organisations, and individuals in protecting...

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