Our Mission

Steinthal Child and Youth Care Center offers a Christian program for children and their families, who have been exposed to risky circumstances. The goal is to therapeutically guide and care for their growth and development, so that they can successfully reintegrate within the community. We do this with dedicated staff, volunteers and a network of other role players.

About us

Steinthal Child and Youth Care Centre is a registered NPO programme of Badisa Western Cape. We are registered to provide residential care to 150 children (between the ages of 2 and 18) who were removed by the Children’s Court in terms of the Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005.  These children were exposed to dangerous and damaging situations.  We are responsible for their mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being, as well as their education needs. We strive to provide the necessary love and care to the children who have endured the ugly side of life.

Steinthal Child and Youth Care Centre is a registered Public Benefit Organisation. We can issue you (or your company) a certificate. All donations are tax deductible in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act.

A Short History

Gustav Adolf Zahn was a Rhenish missionary who was called to South Africa in the 1830s.  He responded immediately and left Germany without an opportunity to greet his parents.  He never returned to his homeland and got married in South Africa.  He bought a water-rich farm outside Tulbagh called, Klipfontein.  His dream was to establish a rescue and development institute for the slaves and their families. The slaves was released in 1838.  From 1842 families that were released settled here where Steinthal CYCC is situated today.  The farm was renamed STEINTHAL, after a village s in Eastern Germany.

Although the youth care centre was only registered in 1961, Steinthal has been devoted to take care of the spiritual, cultural, educational and social development of children and adults.Initialy is was a programme of the then Dutch Reformed Church, now known as the Uniting Reformed Church

The devastating earthquake that struck Tulbagh in September 1969 resulted in the centre being temporarily closed until 1971 so that repairs could be made to the buildings. Thereafter, it was enlarged to accommodate 600 children from all over the country.

Since 2000, the centre had to be reduced to 150 children to comply with the norms and standards set by the State. We currently only serve children in need of care residing in the Western Cape.  On April 1, 2005, Steinthal Children’s Home became a Badisa program. Although we receive a subsidy from the Department of Social Development, but not for all the residents at the centre.