Mitchell's Plain shelter for victims of abuse receives Vital Award

Zulpha Morris with Andrea du Plessis.

The shelter, started back in 1998 by Zulpha Morris and her husband Abdul, is a registered NPO that doesn't receive any government grants; they rely solely on the goodwill and generosity of the public. In its early days, the shelter was run from their home, but has since grown into a facility that can house up to 80 people at any given time.

The shelter is open to everyone, but does great work with children who are victims of abuse. The kids are enrolled in schools, receive swimming lessons at the Muizenberg Surf Club and many of the children from Heaven's Shelter have earned medals and diplomas for being outstanding students at school.

Restoring self-worth to those caught in the cycle of abuse

The kids are also encouraged to be active in the community and join different groups and brigades in the area.

"Our biggest achievement at the shelter is seeing how the kids progress and how they grow after they leave here," says Zulpha Morris.

"Giving these kids love and showing them that there is life after abuse is so important. We help them get back up on their feet and get their confidence back," she adds.

The shelter also helps women who have suffered from abuse and a number of the women who have come through the shelter have gone on to become qualified nurses. It also offers other skills training in sewing, beading, flower arrangement and basic hair dressing skills.

Recently, it also started a food garden for fresh produce to be used in the shelter. All of these activities help restore the self-worth of those who got caught in the cycle of abuse.

Heaven's Shelter also looks after abandoned children, whose parents cannot care for them due to their struggles with substance abuse.

The money from the awards went to help cover the costs of some of the daily expenses of the shelter. It was also used to bulk up security with the shelter installing security cameras at the facility.

George Grieve, Managing Director of Vital Health Foods, says, "Business can no longer sit back and do nothing about an issue that affects not only civil society, but our economy as well. We have to do more."

R1 from every Vital Health Foods supplement sold through leading retail outlets around the country is donated to the Vital Foundation, which was founded in August 2013. In 2014, Vital had raised R3,9 million in this way.