From Survival to Hope: The Daily Work of The Bridge
Most people imagine a children’s shelter as a safe haven providing food, rest, and schooling. However, maintaining this picture demands daily, hands-on work—ensuring school attendance, offering counselling, managing behavioural challenges, and supporting youth who are often drawn back into street life.
At The Bridge Child and Youth Care Centre in Khayelitsha, part of The Homestead Programmes for Street Children, this essential, behind-the-scenes work unfolds daily. Staff walk alongside each child, helping them rebuild routines, regain trust, and experience the consistency that makes long‑term change possible.
The facility provides care for boys who have lived on the streets or come from vulnerable backgrounds. Each month brings moments of progress, but also difficult realities that call for patience, resilience, and professional care.
“People often think that once a child arrives at a shelter, everything becomes easy,” says Zibele Qwemesha, Programme Manager at The Bridge. “In reality, it’s the beginning of a long process of rebuilding trust, safety and routine. Many of the children we care for have experienced neglect, violence or life on the streets. Healing from that takes time and consistent support.”
A dedicated network of staff holds this work together. Social workers provide counselling and help reconnect families; child and youth care workers supervise, mentor and manage conflicts. Administrative, domestic, and maintenance staff ensure smooth operations and a welcoming environment.
“Our work is more than providing shelter,” Qwemesha explains. “We help children reconnect with education, learn life skills and, when possible, rebuild family relationships.”
One ongoing challenge shelters face is helping children remain in care after they arrive.
“A frequent difficulty is keeping a child off the streets and engaged in the programme,” says Qwemesha. “Some of the boys have spent long periods living independently on the streets. Adjusting to structure and rules can be difficult. Sometimes they leave the centre and return to the streets, which is always deeply concerning for us.”
When this happens, staff continue working to reconnect with the child to guide them back to a safer environment. Their efforts are persistent and compassionate—phone calls, community outreach, and coordination with local partners all play a role. Recently, a boy who had left the facility was located by police and returned safely after several weeks on the streets.
“When children leave the centre, it’s extremely worrying because the streets are dangerous for young people,” says Qwemesha. “When they come back, we use that moment to re-engage with them and remind them that this is a place where they are supported.”
In contrast to these challenges, family reunification remains one of the most meaningful outcomes of The Bridge’s work. In one such instance, a child who had endured repeated trauma was successfully reunited with family members after extensive social work intervention. An outcome that reflects both the persistence of the team and the resilience of the child.
“These are the moments that remind us why the work matters,” says Qwemesha. “When a child who has been through so much can safely return to family care, it shows months — sometimes years — of effort from our team.”
Despite the challenges, small victories emerge. Improved school attendance, steady participation in programmes, and learning daily responsibilities all signal meaningful progress.
Physical environment also matters. Renovations are underway on one of the facility’s cottages, thanks to the generosity of a donor. This creates a more comfortable living space for the boys.
“A safe and well-maintained environment helps children regain a sense of dignity and belonging,” Qwemesha says.
In addition to these internal developments, the centre also underwent an unannounced inspection by the Department of Social Development, which confirmed the high standards of care maintained by the team.
“Our staff work incredibly hard every day,” Qwemesha says. “From the social workers to the childcare workers and support staff, everyone plays a role. They help create a place where children can feel safe and start believing in their future again.”
The dedicated, daily work at children’s shelters like The Bridge enables young people to move beyond survival and begin discovering real hope and opportunity for their future.