Welcome to Ons Plek

	Learning to produce an income through self empowerment and skills development

“A place for us!” was the delighted response of Cape Town’s invisible street children, the girls, when Ons Plek Shelter opened for them in 1988. Ons Plek is the only intake shelter for girls in Cape Town. The girls’ basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, education and love are provided.

Once the children have crossed the threshold into Ons Plek they are not here as street children, but as children who are looking for a new place in society. They are not looking for an identity as former street children either, but want to be seen as ordinary children. For them Ons Plek is not a project for female street children, but a place, OUR PLACE, where ‘sifunda ukuphila’ — we learn for our future lives.

Siviwe, meaning ‘God has heard us’, also named by the girls, provides an environment undisturbed by direct contact with street life. Once the girls have weaned themselves from street life while at Ons Plek, and adjusted to a more structured life, they can move to Siviwe in Woodstock.

Ukondla, meaning ‘to nourish’, reaches out to the children of Philippi who are at risk of dropping out of school or home and roaming the streets. Ukondla provides support to keep them in school and at home.

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