Youth Minister Centre mentoring children in Eldorado Park

Date: June 11, 2021 | Posted in Highveld and Cosmos News | News | Secunda News | Women's Interest

The centre is currently mentoring 50 children between the ages of 3 and 16-years-old.

Founders of Youth Minister Centre: Christopher and Shirley Morris.

Shirley Morris and her husband Christopher Morris started a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) called Youth Minister Centre in Eldorado Park. The couple started the organisation in 2018, where they would go to soup kitchens and assist where they can, they also donated clothing to the children who were in need.

“In 2019, we decided that we wanted to build relationships with the children, so that we know their background and try to mentor as they grow. Our organisation is based on our Christian principles so we teach the children that without God, there is nothing,” explained Morris.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation closed in March last year but they are now excited to announce that they have reopened the NPO.

The centre is currently mentoring 50 children between the ages of 3 and 16-years-old.

“We would like to assist them through all their challenges in life. We have them over every Sunday where we pray together and share what our week was like. We have a R20 drive where people donate R20 on a monthly basis, we then use that money to buy toiletries for them.

“There are so many children in our community who are dealing with things that we wouldn’t imagine. Some hide behind their smiles so we think that they are happy but they are not. Last week I asked the children who has smoked or drank alcohol and I was shocked to see the hands going up. Our children are really exposed to many things in our community and we need to mentor them and show them a different path,” said Morris.

The NPO also assists the children with their homework and would like to teach the children skills such as sewing, gardening, baking and so forth and in the future would like to be able to assist the children with learnerships or bursaries for when they complete school.