Ons Plek Projects

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Ons Plek Projects

Ons Plek is a real home in a rough life for Cape Town's invisible street children - the girls. The girls have left home to escape physical abuse and neglect.

“Ons Plek – a place for us!” was the delighted response of Cape Town’s invisible street children, the girls, when Ons Plek Shelter opened for them in 1988. Ons Plek is a 24-hour assessment centre and the only intake shelter for girls in Cape Town. This residential safe-house has 16 beds, but can accommodate up to 25 girls on mattresses. Providing 24-hour accommodation, counselling and education while undertaking the complex reunification process, is the key to our success. Ons Plek Projects consists of

• Ons Plek intake shelter for girls doing comprehensive assessment and development care with reunification as a priority.
• Siviwe second-phase shelter for girls focusing on therapeutic and developmental children’s home with reunification as a priority
• Ukondla – Community Project with prevention as a priority run at three venues in Philippi for boys and girls at risk of becoming street children. Each year almost 150 girls between 6 and 18 years leave home to fend for themselves on the streets of Cape Town. They report that they eat better on the street than they do at home. The female street children are the poorest of the poor. They have the lowest status at home and on the street. Our programme is designed to empower the girls to cope with life. While the girls adjust to a structured environment, our social worker and child care staff investigate home circumstances. For 95% there is a supervised return to their families who are helped to resolve their difficulties. The girls are empowered by instilling a sense of responsibility for themselves. Each girl must participate in household duties, including all cooking and shopping for the food. Household decisions are made by girls and staff together. We promote an active programme of vocational skills training using formal and informal programmes. Most girls attend school, with support from the homework tutor. Creative educational workshops help girls build important learning skills. Non-school going girls are also provided with work skills.

13/01/2026

A huge congratulations to our 4 Matriculants. 3 bachelor and 1 diploma pass. All your hard work has paid off. Thank you to all the staff and homework support programme who supported them during this tough year. We wish you all the best with your studies this year.

09/12/2025

If you able to help spread some holiday cheer please contact Nikki on 021 685 4052

27/11/2025

THE IMPACT OF GBV ON YOUNG GIRLS 💜
GBV leaves scars that aren’t always visible:
• Anxiety, fear, and broken trust
• Low self-worth and shame
• Difficulties at school and concentrating
• Anger, withdrawal, or acting out
• Sleep problems and ongoing health issues
• Trouble forming healthy relationships
• A constant sense that the world is unsafe

At Ons Plek, we stand with every girl —
helping her exchange fear for hope,
pain for possibility,
and trauma for a future she deserves. 💜

26/11/2025

25/11/2025

At Ons Plek we stand with every girl, every survivor, every voice.

No girl should fear the world she lives in.
We raise our voices for safety, dignity, and justice.

Break the silence. Break the cycle.
Together, we rise against GBV.

21/11/2025

11/11/2025

A huge Congratulations to one of our girls at Ons Plek, for achieving outstanding academic achievements. Distinctions in all her subjects and being chosen as a Prefect for 2026!

The entire Ons Plek family celebrates this incredible milestone with you — keep up the hard work.

07/11/2025

Thank You for an Unforgettable Experience!

A heartfelt thank you to Somila and the City of Cape Town, Recreation and Parks Department. for organizing 3 amazing hiking trips for the girls from Ons Plek Projects.

Your kindness and effort gave the girls a chance to explore nature, build confidence, and create joyful memories they’ll cherish for a long time. The laughter, teamwork, and sense of adventure made the hikes truly special!
We deeply appreciate your commitment to empowering and inspiring young girls — one step, one mountain, and one smile at a time. These Moments remind us how powerful kindness and community can be — helping our girls see the world beyond their walls and believe in their own strength

04/11/2025

We move out of 20 years of shacks in our Philippi commumity project, Ukondla!!!
Brand new: 2 classrooms, kitchen, office and toilets provided by our landlord, Cesvi. Thank you!
Ukondla has successfully reduced the Girl Street Children population by 97%.

Our 70+ Ukondla children are such a lovely group of children, all building their lives constructively despite a violent community.
Staff ask for paint to paint one wall white so they can then put all the kids hand prints on in paint. We need a vacuum cleaner. We planning to do a veggie garden so garden tools are needed. We will need another 2 steel tablesas well.

Address

7 Malleson Road, 7700
Cape Town
7705

Website

http://www.onsplek.org.za/

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