The Mater Domini home that takes care of destitute pregnant women is appealing to the public to support them during their tough financial times.
The Claremont-based non-profit which is 17 years old is currently taking care of 15 pregnant women along with eight children. The home’s chairperson Bernadette Ross says currently their biggest financial constraint is paying the monthly municipal rates, electricity bills and general maintenance. She says they also need to buy much needed monthly items like baby food, formula, diapers and toiletries for mothers and babies which do not come cheap.
Ms Ross who has been nine years with the organisation currently has to work alone in the home with the women.
“Previously we had house managers that would oversee the home, they would receive a monthly salary, though the organisation can’t afford to take on any paid staff at the moment ” she says.
Ms Ross currently stays at the home with the women and she takes on many roles, which includes, being the counsellor, the house manager, fund-raiser, and she would even drive the women to the hospital who need to either go for a medical appointment or for when the mothers give birth. She has previously worked in various organisations for over 27 years as a counsellor and in various management positions. She is an independent wellness consultant with a background in child psychology.
Currently various church organisations have been supporting Mater Domini Home with donations, though financial donations are minimal and Ms Ross say they do receive other support in terms of other church organisations doing gardening services on their large property. The surrounding neighbourhood and some faith based organisations on occassion donate clothing and bric-a-brac items that go towards their thrift shop which they run every Friday from their property.
She says they have local retailers in the area that have supported their home with food donations through their membership with FoodForward SA. .
Ms Ross says many of the women are coming from areas like Belhar, Valhalla Park, Tableview, Manenberg, Athlone, Redhill, Bo Kaap, Gugulethu, Philippi, Langa, Khayelitsha, Retreat, Tokai, Bellville, Atlantis, Westlake and even Paarl. Some of the circumstances these pregnant women come from includes, “being abandoned by families, homeless women, drug addicts, rape, school drop outs and victims of violence”, she says.
She added: “Mater Domini is a place of healing and support, a place to experience a loving home without judgement. Many women come here for advice, they form a bond and sisterhood with other women and they create lifelong friendships.”
She says currently other work needed on their home includes painting, tiling, work on the gutters and an appeal for new mattresses for the women.
She says if someone can volunteer their time as a fund-raiser, it would be helpful as they do not receive corporate sponsorships. Ms Ross says they will welcome any volunteers who could assist in supporting various programs at the home.
Former Mater Domini resident, Stacey Petersen, 33, from Westlake, came to the home in 2022. She was a survivor of assualt and was addicted to drugs when she joined the home. She was going through a difficult time as she also had three children that were placed in foster care with her relatives.
“I was looking for a place to rehabilitate myself and after visiting Mowbray Maternity hospital, they told me about Mater Domini,” she says. “Mater Domini accepted me for who I am, I opened up about myself and I became more spiritual.”
Ms Petersen says she managed to overcome her addiction during her stay at the home and Ms Ross helped her to reconnect with her three children. Soon after Ms Petersen left the home and joined the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children where she did a home-based care course. She currently works as a nursing assistant at Pinewood Village. She managed to regain custody of her three children and she and her four children live in their own home in Westlake.
Another former Mater Domini resident, Nicholien Saffier, 28, from Wellington, joined the home over a year ago.
“When I arrived I was out of my comfort zone, though Ms Ross really made me feel at ease there,” she said.
Ms Saffier says she went through various group sessions and found religion there. Ms Saffier currently works at a nursery with plants.
“One day I would like to have a career in childcare,” she says. Ms Saffier says she came to the home feeling “broken”.
“I became a wiser and stronger person and changed the way I saw myself as a woman,” she says adding that she still keeps in touch with Ms Ross.
The provincial department of Social Development spokesperson, Monique Mortlock-Malgas, says their department funds over 1 000 registered non-profits across the various programmes and services.
“Registered organisations wishing to apply for funding from the provincial social development department have the opportunity to do so every year ahead of the commencement of the new financial year, when the department advertises a call for funding proposals,” she says.
Ms Mortlock-Malgas says they have no record of Mater Domini applying for funding. She says funding proposals take place every three years. The last call was September 2023 for 2024-26 financial years. The next call will be September 2026 for 2027- 2030.
If anyone would like to get involved with Mater Domini they can visit their website at https://materdomini.net/ or call their office on 079 891 6749.
