Johannesburg – A Johannesburg organisation which cares for chronically ill children is at risk of closing down as the Northcliff house from which they operate has recently been sold.
Marang House spokesperson Indiana Kool said that unless they found another location by the end of August, these sick youngsters will not have a place to call home.
“Marang House, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing a loving and supportive home for chronically ill children, is facing a race against time to find alternative accommodation,” Kool told the “Saturday Star” this week.
“With their current rental property, which has been their cherished home for the past 20 years, being sold, the situation has reached a critical stage.”
Kool said if a new home was not secured in time, the consequences would be devastating.
“The children will be left with two grim options: living within the confines of a hospital, devoid of the comfort and stability they desperately need, or facing the harrowing reality of homelessness, a life-or-death situation.
“The urgency to find a solution cannot be overstated,” Kool said.
For more than two decades, Marang House has been a safe haven for ill youngsters, many of whom suffer from diabetes or renal failure. They all come from different walks of life but temporarily call the non-profit organisation home.
Marang House cares for up to 12 sick children from the ages of 6 to 14, but in some instances as young as 4, at a time. These youngsters come mostly from rural areas where it would be difficult to transport them to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital where they receive treatment.
The children are referred to the house by the doctors who work at these hospitals and have worked with Marang House for years.
The organisation’s staff, who care for these ill children day and night, will also be left unemployed if Marang House is unable to relocate.
This includes the house mother, Salome Parkies, who drives the sick youngsters to the hospital and sees to their physical, emotional and educational needs.
“I am here as a mother, a friend, a psychologist, whatever they need,” Parkies told The Saturday Star during a visit to Marang House in 2018.
“It's very difficult and challenging work but I always try to turn the house into a home for the kids,” she said at the time.
Kool said the best option would be for someone to buy them a house and allow Marang House to occupy it rent free. The second-best option would be for Marang House to find another house and raise enough money to pay for rent and other expenses for a few months.
“The organisation is reaching out to the community and corporate partners for assistance in finding a new home that can accommodate 12 children and two staff members in the Randburg area, with preferred locations including Northcliff, Cliffview, Linden, and Victory Park – anywhere between Northcliff and Charlotte Maxeke where they go to school and for daily treatments,” Kool said.
Marang House was founded in 1998 by Dr Pieter Ernst who believed that seriously ill children needed a warm, home-like atmosphere to get better.
Kool said Marang House not only offered physical care and medical attention but also focused on ensuring that the children receive education and support to help them lead fulfilling lives despite their illnesses.
“In addition to providing clothes, housing, and food, the organisation ensures that the children receive daily transport to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where they receive medical training and education alongside their traditional schooling.”
Kool said Marang House was calling on corporate partners and individuals to make donations to support the organisation in covering rent expenses for a new home.
They are exploring the installation of solar panels to mitigate the impact of frequent power outages, which can have severe consequences for the children's well-being and safety.
"We want to emphasise that no contribution is too small, and every act of kindness is sincerely appreciated. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of these children."
Kool said that for Marang House to operate effectively, they need R65 000 to R70 000 a month.
This includes:
– Rent, water and electricity: R20 000
– Insurance: R4 000
– Motor expenses: R4 000
– Salaries: R30 000
– Consumables: R5 000
– Telephone expenses: R2 000
Marang House also relies on weekly donations of basic food items.
They have a list of staples that they need every month.
This includes:
Non-perishable foods:
Rice, pasta, oats, Weetabix, long-life milk, maize meal, brown sugar, sunflower oil, margarine, lentils, peanut butter, tuna, beef stock, popcorn, salt and pepper, tinned food – tomato and onion mix, Lucky Star pilchards, chickpeas – frozen vegetables oven chips and fish fingers.
Perishables:
Cheese, bread, vegetables, chicken and beef.
Toiletries:
Toilet paper, soap, moisturiser, shampoo and conditioner.
To learn more about Marang House, visit www.maranghouse.org. For further information or to contribute to their cause, please email Salome (matron) at [email protected] or phone Marang House at 011 476 6698.