The History of Thamsanqa
In 2005, retired and veteran social worker, Tia Wessels and Louise Fourie, co-founded Family Restoration Services.
Not long after founding FRS, a local service club reached out to Tia and Louise and requested guidance with a destitute situation where a care-mother was looking after 12 children with no food or resources.
Tia and Louise became involved and what was supposed to be a 3-month guidance period has become a life-long dedication.
Among the 12 children was a seven-year-old boy name Chiza Thamsanqa Sixaba. He was gravely ill with full-blown AIDS and was also closely bonded with Tia. Each week, as Tia held meetings, little Chiza would curl up and fall asleep on her lap. He was fragile and vulnerable and was placed on antiretroviral (ARV) medication. Despite Tia's best efforts, little Chiza was admitted to hospital and passed on.
The funeral was devastating. Soon afterward The Thamsanqa Cluster Foster Homes were established and named after Chiza's second name, Thamsanqa meaning "happy, blessed and fortunate".
Today, the Thamsanqa Cluster Foster Homes continues to offer a hope and a future to children who need it most.
