In December 1995, ‘Mama’ Lumka, unemployed and caring for her own adult disabled son, realised how many other disabled children were left uncared for all day while their parents went out to work. She painted a simple sign on a piece of cardboard offering crčche facilities for children under 6 years of age. That was the start of the Nceduluntu Educare Centre which now looks after 110 children daily. Nceduluntu means Help for the People.

Without any transport, she would collect the disabled children in a wheelbarrow fitted with foam cushions to soften the ride. She became known as ‘The Wheelbarrow Saint’.

By 2001 she was providing residential care in her home for 16 disabled and able bodied children with AIDS or  AIDS orphans.  All of them had nowhere else to go. In their community there were no facilities for vulnerable children.

In 2002 a group of business people identified Mama Lumka’s efforts and the Nceduluntu Sanctuary Trust was established. This led to the current initiative which has seen the Trust acquire land on which foster homes could be built each accommodating 6 children with 2 caregivers and a house mother.

The campaign will see the construction of a sanctuary with 10 homes, an Educare Centre, a job creation/training workshop and a food garden. Nceduluntu will thus be providing for the needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children as well as parents who need skills training to become employed and to provide for their families.

In September 2004 the first 2 homes were occupied on the site named the Ikhayaletemba (Meaning the Home of Hope) Village by the local community.