The Hidden Costs of Caring for 30 Children: A Foundation’s Plea for Ongoing Support

Photo Credit: Ulrich Keutchatang

The appeal highlights the everyday expenses behind giving children the care, stability and opportunities they need to build independent lives.

Johannesburg, South Africa (16 October 2026) – A broken washing machine has highlighted the everyday pressures of running the Maletsatsi Foundation, where keeping children safe, fed and cared for requires far more than goodwill alone.

Sometimes, it takes something as ordinary as a broken washing machine to bring the weight of an entire responsibility crashing down.

For the person behind the Maletsatsi Foundation, Tiffini Hein, the appliance breaking down was the final straw in a morning already filled with mounting bills, rising anxiety and the relentless demands of caring for children.

The washing machine is an essential part of daily life at the foundation, where clothing and linen need to be washed constantly. With so many people under one roof, domestic appliances face a workload far beyond what most households would expect of them.

A request for help with the washing machine repair raised R800. For someone responsible for feeding, clothing and caring for dozens of people, however, it can disrupt an already carefully managed routine. And the washing machine is only one part of a much bigger picture.

The foundation’s work comes with a constant stream of expenses, from groceries that disappear quickly to electricity, gas, school fees, staff salaries and medical costs. Preparing nutritious meals takes hours every day, while keeping up with the laundry is a job in itself.

Despite contributing financially to the children’s needs, the founder acknowledges that two people cannot reasonably be expected to cover all the costs of supporting approximately 30 children and more than 20 adults each month through their own earnings alone.

Tiffini is therefore appealing to the public to support the Maletsatsi Foundation through donations. The need is ongoing, helping to ensure that children are fed, staff are paid, clothes are washed and essential daily needs are met.

Beyond meeting immediate needs, the foundation’s work is about helping children develop the skills and stability they need to become independent adults. It is an investment in their futures and in the communities they will one day be part of.