Home of Hope was founded in August 2005 by Eleanor Brook, who inspired by her faith having adopted children of her own and having experienced life in a children’s home herself, wanted to harness her experience to provide support for other children in need of care.

The organisation started as an interim ‘place of safety’ for children who were abandoned in dustbins to die, violently abused, raped, hungry and neglected due to poverty, infected with HIV and AIDS and those who were born bearing the effects of excessive drug and alcohol abuse by their mothers during pregnancy.

During that time, it was found that many of the babies leaving the care of Home of Hope would return after a couple of months. Because of this, Home of Hope began to research the possible reasons. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder was discovered and many of the characteristics of FASD were found to be present in the children. The organisation began to look deeper into this disorder, but could not find many resources, support systems or solutions. South Africa has the highest reported prevalence rate of FASD in the world which ranges from 29 to 290 per 1 000 live births. About 85% of children with FASD come from families that are unstable, placing the child in greater risk of physical and sexual abuse or neglect. They are thus removed and placed in the care system.

Based on the challenges in caring for children affected by FASD, Home of Hope has evolved from a ‘place of safety’ to provide a multi-faceted, unique long-term solution for the protection of our children and young adults and so respond to the big need we have in our country.