In December 1995, ‘Mama’ Lumka, unemployed and caring for her own adult disabled son, realised how many other disabled children were left uncared for all day while their parents went out to work. She painted a simple sign on a piece of cardboard offering crèche facilities for children under 6 years of age. That was the start of the Nceduluntu Educare Centre - Nceduluntu means Help for the People.

Without any transport, she would collect the disabled children in a wheelbarrow fitted with foam cushions to soften the ride. She became known as ‘The Wheelbarrow Saint’.

By 2001 she was providing residential care in her home for 16 disabled and able bodied children with AIDS or  AIDS orphans.  All of them had nowhere else to go. In their community there were no facilities for vulnerable children.

In 2002 a group of business people identified Mama Lumka’s amazing efforts and the Nceduluntu Sanctuary Trust was established. This led to the current initiative which has seen the Trust acquire land on which foster homes could be built each accommodating 6 children with 2 caregivers and a house mother.

The campaign has been - the construction of a sanctuary with 10 homes, an Educare Centre, a job creation/training workshop and a food garden. Nceduluntu will thus be providing for the needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children as well as parents who need skills training to become employed and to provide for their families.

In September 2004 the first 2 homes were occupied on the site named the Ikhayaletemba (Meaning the Home of Hope) Village by the local community.

There are now 5 homes as well as an administration centre.A sewing area has been created for  sewing classes  for local women.

A mobile classroom (donated by the Mama Lumka Charity in Australia) is used for Literacy classes and a place for the older school children to do their studies and the vegetable garden now provides food  for the sanctuary.

The Educare Centre is very busy providing ongoing daycare for local children.

This year's project is to build a bakery to provide food and funds for the sanctuary as well creating employment and training for members of the local community. The sanctuary doesn't receive any government funding so they are working hard to become more self sustaining.

Our luncheon this year is was to raise funds to supply the equipment required for the bakery.

For years Mama Lumka has been undertaking her work quietly & diligently. Her vision for the Sanctuary is in her words, “to take care of those who have no-one to love them, who need a haven from abuse and neglect and those who have special needs that only someone who loves them like a mother can see to”.