Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions and answers will help you get a better picture of Penuel Children’s Foundation, our current project, and how to get involved.
- How is Penuel Children's Foundation run?
- Have you got a charity number?
- What projects do Penuel Children's Foundation have?
- What is a Temporary Safe Haven?
- For how long will a child stay in a haven?
- Where do the children go, when they leave the haven?
- How many children live in the haven at any one time?
- Who are these children?
- How will a child come to live in a haven?
- How can I get involved?
- How is Penuel funded?
- What difference can a donation to Penuel Children's Foundation make?
- How do I make a donation to Penuel?
- What does Penuel mean?
- What's the logo about?
How is Penuel Children's Foundation run?
Penuel Children’s Foundation UK is a charity (NI00146 & NIC101028) registered in the UK.
It is run by a Board of Trustees:
- Peter O’Halloran email
- Keely Mosley
- Alex Mosley
- Gunther Storbeck
- Ruth Storbeck
- Alison Templeton
- Richie Cathcart email
Penuel Children’s Foundation SA is an NPO (181- 800 NPO) and a Section 18a PBO (REF: 930050398).
It is run by a Board of Trustees:
- Jason Leach
- Richie Cathcart email
- Gail Pedersen
- Nicola Moore
- Greg Bennet
- Travoltor Mutongoza
The Trustees are responsible for seeing that all donations received go towards furthering the aims of the Foundation. In every country where there are Penuel projects, there will also be a local Board of Trustees. This Board will handle the everyday running of the projects. Project managers will be accountable to both the local Board of Trustees, and the Board of Trustees based in Northern Ireland.
Have you got a charity number?
Penuel Children’s Foundation UK is a charity registered with both the Northern Ireland Charity Commission (NIC101028) & HMRC (NI00146)
Penuel Children’s Foundation SA is an NPO (181- 800 NPO) and a Section 18a PBO (REF: 930050398).
What projects do Penuel Children's Foundation have?
Penuel Children’s Foundation opened our first “haven” in South Africa in March 2014. In the future, we envision running multiple projects worldwide. Our aim is to produce a model of care for children that will show the world how beautiful they are & in turn mobilise others to get involved. This model will focus on early intervention.
What is a Temporary Safe Haven?
In the UK, private individuals can foster children for ‘emergency’, ‘short term’, ‘long term’ or ‘respite’ periods of time. In South Africa however, private foster carers can only provide ‘long term care’ (until the child is 18 years of age).
Our South African project is a “temporary safe haven” providing emergency short term care for children who have been removed from difficult situations by Social Workers or the Police. Temporary Safe Care Havens provide 24-hour care for children until the Social Workers find a long term solution of a foster family, adoptive family, government children’s home or reunification with biological/extended family.
For how long will a child stay in a haven?
Every child’s case is unique. In general, children stay with us for anything from three months, to a year & sometimes longer. This all depends on the child’s situation, & how speedily their case progresses.
Where do the children go, when they leave the haven?
Each child transitions to a “forever family”. Depending on each child’s unique set of circumstances, they are reunited with biological families, fostered by a biological family member (like an aunt or a granny), placed in foster care with non-family foster parents, adopted or placed in a children’s home.
How many children live in the haven at any one time?
We look after 6 children at any one time. The average length of time each child lives in a haven is 9 months.
Who are these children?
The Eastern Cape has the highest number of Aids orphans in South Africa (more than 171,000). It also has the highest infant mortality rate in South Africa. 35% of Port Elizabeth’s population are HIV+. In the Eastern Cape, a child born with HIV has a life expectancy of 6 years of age. This is due to extreme poverty. There are 80,000 child headed families in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Within this context, there are children who due to abuse, neglect, abandonment or having been orphaned, require intervention.
How will a child come to live in a haven?
Children are placed into our care by the South African police or various welfare organisations in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Bay. Each child is allocated a Social Worker and will have all the necessary legal documentation issued by the Children’s Court.
How can I get involved?
We have many ways you can get involved.
- Keep up to date with Penuel Children’s Foundation by receiving our newsletter. You can also follow us on twitter or facebook.
- Pray for areas highlighted by Penuel in the newsletter and on twitter or facebook.
- Get involved by making a donation or fundraise
- Volunteers are an essential part of our organisation and provide a wide range of help. From helping run fundraising events, to administration or even volunteering overseas with our project.
If you would like to volunteer or receive please email us at: [email protected]
If you would like to receive our newsletter please sign up below:
How is Penuel funded?
We are wholly reliant on donations from private individuals and businesses. We utilize the gift aid scheme to maximise all eligible donations. If you would like to get involved you can by:
What difference can a donation to Penuel Children's Foundation make?
In our South African project:
- £10 can provide nappies for one child for 2 weeks.
- £20 can feed one child for a month.
- £30 can cover the cost of a child’s unforeseen medical bills each month.
- £50 can cover the cost of formula and baby food used by 3 babies in one month.
- £100 can help pay for one month’s electric and water bill.
- £600 can pay for a child to stay in the haven for 1 month. This includes: rent, consumables (e.g nappies, formula, food), medical care, salaries (24-hour care), electricity, communications, security, and petrol costs.
Every donation makes a huge difference. Penuel’s current project gives up to 6 children at any one time, a loving home to live in. Children receive the love and care they deserve. A safe home where they can be certain of having enough food each day. A home where they can rest; warm, dry & free from fear. A place they can be children again.
You can donate or fundraise here:
How do I make a donation to Penuel?
Thank you so much for supporting Penuel Children’s Foundation.
To set up a monthly donation, to make a one-off donation or to fundraise, please use the below link:
For further information please email the treasurer at [email protected]
Thank you so very much, from the bottom of our hearts for your time, support and belief in this venture.
What does Penuel mean?
“Penuel” or “Peniel” is the name given in the Bible (Genesis 32) to the place where God renames Jacob, “Israel”. Calling out Jacob’s true identity and worth. We want to see each child’s identity and worth aligned to the truth of who they are. From “abused”, “abandoned”, “neglected” or “orphaned” to; treasured, beloved, wanted, accepted and valued. Children deserving and worthy of love.
What's the logo about?
Deuteronomy 32 talks about the relationship between Jacob and God. It says “He found him (Jacob) out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw His arms around him, lavishing attention on him, guarding him as the apple of His eye”. The heart in the logo represents the heart of God. The apple represents the value each child holds, inside the heart of God. Our aim is to treat the children in our care, in ways that reflect the truth of how loved they are.
