26 October 2026
Hello!
My name is Clara, and I volunteered at iKhaya for eleven months. Looking back, I’m so grateful for those eleven months. That I was able to get to know every single child and each of the house moms during that time. It was something so special for me to get to know the heart and unique personality of each and every child. But it wasn’t just about me getting to know them or them getting to know me, I truly felt welcome as part of the iKhaya family.
I really enjoyed taking the kids on outings to the beach or St. Lucia, spending my mornings with the toddlers and having suppers with the older kids. Two of my core memories are cooking German dishes with the older boys and watching the soccer championship games with the older girls, boys, and the three house moms.
At iKhaya, I had the opportunity to learn more about South African culture, daily life in an orphanage, the house moms joy for life and also more about myself. I learned how to approach my work in a more practical way, how to plan activities for children especially for toddlers and preschoolers. I figured out what I want to study, which values are important to me, and which ones I want to teach children and most important, I discovered a new kind of living community and family.
I am so grateful for every single person I've met at iKhaya and Solid Ground, they have shaped me and my stay at iKhaya. I am so glad that my path led me to iKhaya.