St Michael’s Child and Youth Care Centre in Plumstead hosted an appreciation dinner on Wednesday December 4 to celebrate the academic, sporting and other accomplishments of its girls.

The non-profit organisation offers a place of safety for 30 girls aged 13 to 18, who have faced neglect, abuse and abandonment.

The appreciation dinners were started last year to acknowledge the girls, their academic, sporting performance and improvements in behaviour, said executive director, Rosemary Tsurai.

“It has proven to be an incentive to excel as the girls look forward to it. This year, the children’s home included volunteers and donors, to show appreciation for those who offer assistance to St Michael’s during the year,” Ms Tsurai said.

The girls received recognition certificates for their individual strengths that were observed throughout the year; appreciation certificates for exceptional behaviours; Future Champs Certificates for athletic achievement and academic certificates. Gratitude gifts were given to all benefactors and volunteers.

Children’s home chairperson, Dr Guy Bury, said it was an honour and a privilege to celebrate the end of year and all the girl’s achievements.

He thanked staff and volunteers, adding that the home would not survive without the generous donations of its benefactors which has made a huge difference in their finances.

“We all can agree that life has been and can be hard. But our girls have a great opportunity here to be cared for, to learn life skills from the best and get a good education. In today's world education and a good work ethic is everything. And here at St Michael's you can achieve great things with the help of all these people who are so keen to help you achieve your best.

“This building has been here for 70 years now. And many youngsters like you have gone on to make incredible lives for themselves. Full of happiness and success. I know that if you respect and follow these adults who are trying to support you as best as possible, you too will achieve great things,” Dr Bury said.

MC for the evening was one of the home’s former residents who shared her story; that her life began when she was placed at St Michael’s in Grade 10. She is now a SA Mentee Liaison with SAYes and a performer but she previously contemplated suicide, being “beaten up like a dog by her stepfather”. When she came to school with bruises on her face one day, it all changed. She took her classmate’s advice and spoke to a social worker.

Despite her mother denying any knowledge of the abuse, she said, she was removed from their home and stayed at St Michael’s till she finished high school.

“I can proudly say now I'm an international performer. I started at the Baxter theater, I went to Artscape, I was recently in Beijing, China, and it all started in this house.”

As a SA Mentee Liaison, she comes to the home once a month to inspire the girls with performance arts. Using her own story she encourages the girls that being “a product of a children’s home” in no way defines their future of endless opportunities and possibilities.

The evening started with a model show; assisting with judging, from left, are Leanah Ndlovu, Tonia Rayner and Monique Bayes. Picture: Janice Matthews

Margaretha Black, seated, was thanked for the creative arts therapy she does at the home. She is pictured with her husband, Curtis Elliot. Standing is St Michael’s Child and Youth Care Centre executive director, Rosemary Tsaurai and chairperson, Dr Guy Bury. Picture: Janice Matthews