About Us

How it all began
Learn MoreMeet the team
The Vision and Mission of The Almond Tree
The vision of The Almond Tree is to provide a loving home for vulnerable children who need to be rescued from unpleasant and often life-threatening circumstances. We exist to accomplish God’s word to “raise up the foundations of many generations” (Isaiah 58:12), and to be known as a people who together with Jesus Christ rebuild their brokenness and to restore them to wholeness and life.

The Almond Tree is all about the Care and Protection of vulnerable children. We achieve this by placing children into a loving family foster home, with no more than six children living with a permanent care mother. Here they receive unconditional love, spiritual discipleship, care, and nurture, meeting all of their physical and emotional needs. Our goal is to provide holistic, residential care for every child so that each one will become a responsible Christian and a productive citizen of South Africa and Africa.

The Almond Tree staff are trauma informed and continually strive to understand the complexities around trauma and the effects it has on children and people. Our children are dealt with in a loving and sensitive manner with all consideration of their traumatic history.

We believe that children are the future of our nation and how they are raised influences who they will become. We want our children to grow up to be a generation that will be influential change-makers who will make an impact in South Africa and across the world. By equipping our children with essential moral values, life skills and most importantly a sense of belonging and identity, they will live lives of significance and lasting impact.

 

“Our Vision is a Loving Home for Every Child” – CEO Charmaine McQueen

RESCUED

REUNITED

ADOPTED

FOSTERED

TAT

Our mission, our purpose, our passion

To place vulnerable children into a family environment where they receive unconditional love, spiritual discipleship, care and nurture, ensuring that all their physical, emotional and mental needs are met.

WHAT WE DO
Our Projects & Programs
Every child deserves a champion – An adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. – Rita F Pearson
Care & protection of vulnerable babies & children

Care & protection of vulnerable babies & children

The Almond Tree exists to provide a loving family environment where children can heal and grow. We offer a safe and loving home environment.

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Training and Development

Training and Development

In this work, people make all the difference. We pride ourselves in recruiting excellent staff. We motivate and educate our staff, who in turn contribute to the well-being and growth of The Almond Tree.

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Education

Education

We offer educational programmes that facilitate learning and equip children with knowledge, skills, values, morals, beliefs and good habits. To establish firm foundations through early childhood development programmes, primary and vocational programmes.

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Social-Services

Social Services

We render comprehensive social services to promote the best interest of all children in our care, and we strive to remain consistent with the relevant child protection statutes and policies in South Africa.

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Meet the team

BOARD OF GOVENORS

Mesuli
Mesuli Tshele
Chairman
Dominic Lebo Mabeba
Dominic Lebo Mabeba
Vice Chairman
Jeanette
Jeanette Stuart
Treasurer
Kent
Kent McQueen
Co-Founder and Secretary
Mazvita Muchengeti
Mazvita Muchengeti
Board Member
Ipeleng Makhema
Ipeleng Makhema
Board Member
Ndabezinhle Ndlovu
Ndabezinhle Ndlovu
Board Member

STAFF

Charmaine
Charmaine McQueen
CEO and Founder
Angela
Angela Powell
Principal – Head of Education
Zina rotherham
Zina Rotherham
National Development Manager
Shannon
Shannon van Harn
International Development Manager
Estelle
Estelle Spies
Finance Administrator
Tessa Grunouw
Tessa Grunouw
Operations Administrator
Simphiwe Mthombeni
Simphiwe Mthombeni
Social Work Supervisor
Aifheli Maravha
Aifheli Maravha
Auxillery Worker
Tracy Ncube
Tracey Ncube
Baby Home Manager
Tiny Ralepelle
Tiny Ralepelle
Cluster Homes Manager
Nadine Green
Nadine Green
Activities Coordinator
Lonzelle Du Plessis
Lonzelle du Plessis
Centre Manager Delmas
Zanele Machitje
Zanele Machitje
Social Worker Delmas
Kobie du Plessis
Kobie du Plessis
Project Director Delmas
WORKING TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE MORE
Our Supporters & Friends

Tjissie Trul

My name is Tjissie Trul, Volunteering in Africa has been a dream of mine since my early twenties. Family life caused this dream to be postponed to my 49th year of life. A friend drew my attention to the project The Almond Tree in South Africa. After visiting their website, I became enthusiastic and their vision and target group touched my heart. Coincidentally, the founders would come to the Netherlands in June 2022, so I spoke to them. It clicked and the next step was taken. I volunteered myself! Because I have received permission from my employer to take three months off. I left for South Africa on Monday, September 5, 2022, where I was allowed to use my passion and talents for the project The Almond Tree.

Now three months later I can say that it has been life changing for me. Let go of my own life and share in the life of the almond tree. The children, moms, people from the office, teachers, guards, people who maintain the garden and cleaners, they are all part of a beautiful and special project. They contribute in their own way. I have experienced that the children are central so that they can grow up in a safe, healthy and loving environment. I enjoyed working with the children and taking care of them with love. In addition, I experienced something of God's love through the people and children. What a privilege to give 3 months of my life and share in the greater whole of God's kingdom.

Tjissie Trul

Jasmine Kok

My name is Jasmine, I am from the Netherlands. In 2019 I visited the Almond Tree. It was great to be here. I could not let go of the place. You see God's love in action and can feel His peace on the village. Despite the brokenness. A year later, God asked me to support TAT for six months with practical work and I became their first International Volunteer. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to stay on The Almond Tree Children's Village. This was an amazing experience for me, I loved working with the children and building relationships with them. Working at TAT has changed me in a positive way and brought me closer to God's love.

Jasmine Kok

Ashly Main

I have been a volunteer at TAT for almost 2 years. I heard about TAT via a friend and was so touched by her enthusiasm that I contacted Jo and joined the next volunteer training day. This was still at the old premises in Oak Street. I loved the training, the TAT staff and most of all the littlies and couldn’t wait to become more involved. I worked in HR for many years so, although I was involved in many CSI projects, it was more in a business and overview role and I yearned for a more hands on roles once I stopped working fulltime. Not long after I started volunteering, Charms asked me whether I would be interested in kangarooing baby M so that he could bond and become emotionally stronger and happier. I came in for a few hours most days to kangaroo, bath and feed him and, by being in the home so often, I not only fell head over heels in love with Baby M, but also with the other babies and the carer Mammas. I have since kangaroo’d a number of babies – and have just said farewell to darling Baby S who I had the privilege to love for just over a year until he went to his forever family. I love all the little people in our care, but by the nature of kangarooing, I think those babies and I share a closer bond and, although it is hard to say farewell, it is the best thing in the world knowing that I have had the opportunity to make a difference in each little ones life, enabling them to feel secure, loved and able to trust. Although I love helping with the tiny babies, it is also so much fun spending time with the toddlers – they make me laugh at their antics and endless energy and mischief. It is so exciting to see all the little ones overcome obstacles, achieve their milestones and most of all to pass them over to their families, whether these are natural or adoptive. I believe that our babies learn many life lessons at TAT – they learn to share, to love and be loved, to be patient, to respect and care for others. A ‘regular’ day as a volunteer is seldom regular – each shift depends on what is required on the day! It is so heart-warming to enter the home and see how happy the children are to see me – smiles, arms up in the air to be picked up and sometimes a squeal of excitement and a rush to beat the others to say hello. My job consists of simply holding the little ones, playing, filling up their love tanks, feeding, changing nappies, bathing, taking them to doctor’s appointments, on outings and helping them develop so that they can tackle the world with confidence. Apart from the children, I have made wonderful relationships with the management, the other volunteers and most of all the Mamma’s who care for our babies. It is a privilege to be a part of their lives and hear the stories of their families and their trials and tribulations. We have become a close knit and supportive group. My daughters are also volunteers and our experiences have changed our family in many ways – all for the better!

Ashly

Alicia Paul

My name is Alicia Paul and I am a mom to two young kids. I am very blessed to be home with my children, but as my son started school I found myself wanting to do more. From as young as I can remember, I have always had a passion for children. Vulnerable children have a very special place in my heart and I never imagined the difference I could make to the lives of vulnerable children until now. I had been interested in this work since 2014 when Charmaine started out with Swallow’s Nest place of safety from her home. I always knew I wanted to get involved and through a series of beautiful events my path led to The Almond Tree. I started volunteering at The Almond Tree in August 2017. I discovered a passion for working with the toddler age group. I grew to love the interaction with them and loved the excitement they would show when I would walk into the room. Volunteering on a regular basis comes with the satisfaction of a special bond between you and the children, which is extremely rewarding. It is amazing to share in the joy as they reach their milestones, the toddlers grow daily in leaps and bounds. I have so much love for them as I observe how they learn to talk, learn to feed themselves, how they learn to ride their bikes and how they learn to let go of their little pieces of comforts and security as they face each new day. They have a love for learning and get so excited for every new step they take whether it's emotionally or physically. These little ones sometimes come in broken and full of fear, but with the unlimited love, care and dedication they get from The Almond Tree staff, mama's and volunteers they can only leave stronger than before. The Almond Tree toddlers have stolen my heart and I look forward to being a positive influence in their lives for as long as they are part of The Almond Tree family.

Alicia

Granny Di Lavis

I am fortunate to have been part of The Almond Tree since May 2016. I heard about The Almond Tree after seeing a call on a friend’s Facebook page requesting donations of “fleecy baby grows”. I decided to help and when I went to drop off the donation, I was invited in and this is where it all began. I believe volunteering is more about what you put in than what you can get out of it. It is a privilege to share in the lives of these little precious people. The moments when you experience their first smile, sitting up, a first tooth and right up to their first step are priceless and precious moments I cherish. The happiness and tears of joy experienced when a baby is released into their forever family is wonderful. As much as you become part of their daily lives, there is always a respect for the care-givers or “mamas” as we fondly call them, ensuring that all their guidance and instructions are followed. Once a baby comes through the doors of The Almond Tree, all their needs will be met in a loving environment. I am truly grateful to The Almond Tree for the privilege and opportunity to be a part of the Volunteer Program.