The Homestead is a Non-Profit Organisation established in 1982 to care and support neglected, abused children and those who lived on the streets. Due to extreme family environments children either live in adverse and extreme realities or end up living, begging, or working in the streets. We have a Prevention and Early Intervention Programme where children receive psycho-social and developmental support and a chance to have normal growth. Placement of children in residential facilities is the last resort.
Every child has a right to family or parental care, in the absence of such a proper alternative is provided. The Homestead has two Child and Youth Care Centres, the Bridge CYCC in Khayelitsha and LaunchPad Transitional CYCC in Observatory, caring for boys and youth until they realise their full potential.
To reduce and prevent the risk of children ending up in the streets, the Homestead has six Prevention and Early Intervention Programme centres (also known as Drop-in-Centres) and a Risiha Programme. The programme fosters positive development of children living in dysfunctional family environments or exposed to harmful experiences that hinder normal growth. It is intrinsic in our intervention that all staff working with our children are trained.
It is the Homestead’s vision that no child should live, work or beg on the streets of Cape Town and that every child should live in a community with a family.
To help street children reconstruct their shattered lives, and to provide prevention and early intervention services to children and families in disadvantaged communities
Leadership
Lindani Mzamo
Finance Manager
Zibele Qwemesha
Programme Manager
The Bridge Child & Youth Care Centre
Steven Tlala
Programme Manager
The Homestead LaunchPad CYCC & Yizani Drop in Centre
Nolubabalo Mpikashe
PEI Programme Manager
Aviwe Manyela
PEI Programme Manager
Shakes Dwangu
Operations Manager
Nura Patel
Accounts Admin
The location of our projects span across the following areas:
Maria Sikaundi is a seasoned leader and strategist dedicated to social development and impactful change across communities in South Africa. She currently serves as Executive
Director of The Homestead.
With over a decade of senior management experience across NGOs, government, and the education sector, Maria has a strong track record in strategic planning, programme management, and operational leadership. Previously, she was District Manager at IkamvaYouth, overseeing multi-branch educational programmes, engaging strategic partners, and mobilising resources to ensure high learner retention and success. She has also worked as a management consultant with firms such as IsambuloAMI and Impact Strategy Consulting, providing research and strategic insights to support sustainable initiatives across
multiple sectors.
Maria is passionate about empowering marginalised groups, believing in the transformative power of structured support and community engagement.
She holds an MPhil in Business Management with a focus on Responsible Leadership, a BCom Honours in Statistics, a BCom in Economics, and certifications in Programme Management, Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Business Risk Management.
Committed to driving positive social change, Maria continues to champion initiatives that uplift vulnerable communities, inspire teams, and create lasting impact for South Africa’s youth.
Zibele Qwemesha is a Registered Social Worker with keen interest in child protection, rehabilitation, child development and staff development. Zibele also has a passion for developing interns, student Social Workers and volunteers. Zibele’s journey with the Homestead started in July 2019 while working as a Social Worker in Town Two in our PEI programme. He then moved to the Khayelitsha CYCC as a Deputy Manager in October 2020 and is currently working as the Programme Manager at the centre.
Mr. Steven Tlala is a registered Social Worker with more than 30 years’ experience in his career. He is the current Programme Manager for the Homestead LaunchPad CYCC and Yizani Drop in Centre. At the LaunchPad he provides ongoing after-care support for the youth who are preparing to leave care, return home or move to independent living whilst at Yizani Drop-in Centre he provides for the management of prevention and early intervention services to children and families in disadvantaged communities.
In his previous work he was providing training and mentoring to community-based organizations, social workers, child & youth care workers and community development practitioners. He was also instrumental in the development of various policies and legislations in the social development sector. He has been involved in partner and stakeholder coordination throughout his entire career which includes experience in advocacy programs involving government bodies, networks, civil society organizations, academic institutions and other stakeholders in the field of social development.
Nolubabalo Mpikashe holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Stellenbosch. She has a deep passion for empowering young people, believing that the youth are the foundation of our future.
Nolubabalo firmly believes that if we get it right with our youth today, we build more
responsible and compassionate adults for tomorrow.
She began her journey with The Homestead in 2019 as a Residential Social Worker at the LaunchPad and later joined the PEI team as a Programme Manager, where her passion for staff empowerment and recognition continues to grow.
I hold a degree in Social Worker obtained from the University of Fort Hare. As a Social Worker I am very passionate about working in disadvantaged communities. I am firm believer in equipping communities with skills for their sustainability and believe in working with those vulnerable communities to identify their strengths and resources around them to becoming self-sufficient.
I believe in building in equipping these communities with available resources to combat the many social ills that are created by poverty and unemployment. I have a deep passion for working with youth and children as I believe there is no future without our youth and children. I have a deep passion for the protection of children’s rights.
I have worked with Adolescents and Young people within these disadvantaged communities for an HIV Prevention programme for the past 6 years which focused on (Reducing HIV incidents, increasing access to testing, HIV prevention services, support and education and Structural empowerment).
I have recently joined the, The Homestead as PEI Programme Manager where I will continue using my skills to empower families and children because I believe that Early Prevention is what is needed for the betterment of our communities.
Shakes has over 30 years of experience in community and social development sector and currently serves as the Operations Manager at The Homestead. Throughout his career, he has gained extensive knowledge and skills through both formal and informal training, while serving in middle and senior management positions across the non-profit sector.
Before joining The Homestead, Shakes supported organisational systems, administration, and programme delivery across seven provinces. His leadership experience spans programme management, operations, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and capacity building, with a strong focus on strengthening organisational
performance and delivering sustainable community impact.
Passionate about social development, Shakes is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children, young people, and families. He is dedicated to helping The Homestead expand its impact and deliver high-quality services to the communities it serves.
