Our Story

2008 – The Vineyard Houses was born in the beginning of 2008 from the heart that two women (community leaders Mama Madiba and Karin Viviers in Kayamandi) had for local children caught in the crossfire of poverty. Seeing firsthand the lack of services for abused, neglected and orphaned children motivated them to approach Stellenbosch Vineyard Christian Fellowship for support in forming a community based initiative to address the need. Committed volunteers from Vineyard Christian Fellowship Stellenbosch, Kayamandi community, Gaussian Construction and SOS Stichting Netherlands formed the backbone of the initiative and, armed with the professional expertise of our partners Home from Home based in Cape Town and Stellenbosch Child Welfare,  we opened our first Foster Care home for children in Kayamandi in September 2008.   Carried forward by the perfect fusion of community support and overwhelming need, The Vineyard Houses opened their second house, also in Kayamandi, only 2 months later in November 2008.

2010 – As community awareness of the initiative increased, the need for Foster Care in the nearby neighborhood of Cloetesville came onto the radar. With a combination of collaboration and strategic partnerships The Vineyard Houses opened our third Foster Care home, and our first house in Cloetesville, in 2010.

2012 – To address the growing administrative needs, the Governing Board of Directors successfully applied for and received South African status as a registered Non-Profit organization in 2012.

2013 –After 5 years of operating solely with dedicated volunteers, Vineyard Houses Management Committee made the decision to bring a designated Project Manager on board at the end of 2013. This was the year we also got our very own Auxiliary Social Worker assigned to us by Home from Home.

2014 – Responding to a demonstrated need, work is nearing completion on another Foster Care house, our second in Cloetesville. With its completion on the horizon we are excitedly looking forward to welcoming children into our fourth Foster Care home in 2014.