THE HOUSE IS A BEACON OF HOPE

Saturday Star - 7 August 1999

by Aurelia Dyantyl

They are on the street corners of Johannesburg every night. Tiny 14 year-old bodies in revealing tight-fitting dresses.

When we see them jumping into cars with men old enough to be their fathers, we turn a blind eye. Some of us feel strongly that this is wrong and unacceptable, but we lack the courage to act and are satisfied to moralise about the issue.

But there are few who have had the guts to intervene. These people want to make a difference. The Revs Du Plessis are of them. They have made it their mission to gather these girls and offer them skills. In 1990 - driven by a desire to bring hope to young girls who are trapped in the web of sexual abuse, prostitution and drug addiction - they opened The House, a home for child prostitutes.

Propelled by a passion and love for children, the Du Plessis drive at night through the crime-ridden streets of Hillbrow, trying to help those willing to be rehabilitated.

Du Plessis has big dreams for her “children”. “We want to teach them skills and we’re very realistic about what we’re offering. I know it’s difficult to get jobs, and that’s why we concentrate on skills that will enable these kids to support themselves,” she says.

But it is not easy to realise these dreams because potential sponsors frown at the mention of the word “prostitution” and opt for less controversial projects such as wildlife and the environment.

“They don’t understand that society is to blame for the children’s plight because adults are buying and paying these children, they are the ones encouraging them.”

“Family men do drugs with these kids and we’ve found that a young child sleeps with a minimum of three men a day.” “During an informal survey we discovered that the youngest child who had been involved in prostitution and whom we rescued was only 7 years old,” Du Plessis says.

Prayers for assistance were partly answered this week when the Park Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank agreed to assist her shelter for two years. “We don’t have money set aside but we’re going to hold a lot of fun events at the hotel to raise money for The House. We’ve begun by giving bed linen and towels which the home finds very useful.”

Hans Heyligers, general manager of the Park Hyatt, says they looked at many charities to support but opted for The House. “We get a lot of requests from various charities but we wanted to find a project to support and with which we would feel comfortable, and we feel attached to The House.”

The House provides a temporary therapeutic residential programme for girls under the age of 18 who lives on the streets and are involved in prostitution. The girls are given safe home, some are sent to school and all are educated about HIV and Aids.

Once rehabilitated, the children are reunited with their families, but some of the girls return to The House as successful reintegration with their families are impossible.

The Park Hyatt’s staff members will be rolling up their sleeves next Saturday at a fundraising event called Cappuccino and Car Wash.

“Hotel guests and local residents are invited to bring their cars to be washed by hotel staff while they drink cappuccino. All funds will be donated to the centre,” says Heyligers.

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