Khomotsong Care Centre — Empowering Abilities, Inspiring Lives
Every individual deserves care, dignity, and opportunity.
The Story of Khomotso
On August 15, 1989, Mr. and Mrs. Babile were gifted with a precious son with Down syndrome and named him Khomotso - meaning "comfort, consolation, or encouragement."
Having personally experienced the challenges of raising a child with disabilities in a rural area, the Babile family made a bold decision to establish Khomotsong Care Centre to support other Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs).
The Origin of Khomotsong Care Centre
The Birth of Khomotso
On August 15, 1989, Mr. and Mrs. Babile were gifted with a precious son with Down syndrome and named him Khomotso - meaning "comfort, consolation, or encouragement." This name is often given to a child who brings solace and peace, especially after a difficult time for the family.
Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the presence of an extra partial or full copy of chromosome 21, which changes how the body and brain develop. This extra genetic material leads to characteristic physical features, developmental delays, and an increased risk for certain health problems.
Challenges of Raising a Child with Disabilities in Rural Areas
Limited Access to Specialised Healthcare
- Pediatric cardiologists
- ENT specialists
- Speech, physical, and occupational therapists
- Early intervention and developmental services
Rural Challenges
- Long travel distances (sometimes hours) for routine appointments
- Infrequent availability of specialists
- Delays in diagnosis or treatment due to limited screenings
- Higher transportation costs and lost work time for parents
Limited Educational Resources
- Few qualified therapists available locally
- Long waiting lists
- Schools lack special education teachers with Down syndrome-specific training
- Limited access to adaptive technology
Transportation Barriers
- Long drives multiple times per week
- Higher fuel and vehicle maintenance costs
- Difficulty balancing travel with employment and family duties
- Weather-related disruptions in remote areas
Financial Strain
- Frequent travel for medical and therapy services
- Need for specialized equipment or adaptive devices
- One parent needing to reduce work hours to care for the child
- Limited availability of financial aid programs in rural communities
The Birth of Khomotsong Care Centre
Having faced all these challenges personally, the Babile family made a bold decision to comfort PLWDs through the establishment of Khomotsong Care Centre for the Disabled. The centre is a non-profit organisation registered with the Department of Social Development which pursues rehabilitation and care of the mentally and physically disabled.
The organisation was informally started by Mr. and Mrs. Babile with their children to support the disabled in Zebediela and surrounding areas in Limpopo province. This was largely influenced by the birth of their disabled son and lack of support for persons living with disability/ies (PLWDs).
Impact Since Establishment
70+ persons living with disabilities supported
15+ local community members employed as volunteers/staff
Operating in consultation with Social Development Department and Department of Education
About Khomotsong Care Centre
Our Mission
To provide effective and efficient care services for persons living with disability/ies, to promote social inclusion, dignity, respect, well-being and skills development.
Our Vision
Enhance access, participation and inclusion of persons living with disabilities in economic activities.
Registered
Non-Profit Organisation (NPO 189-359) registered with the Department of Social Development
Our Objectives
- To provide physical and psychological support to disabled persons
- To promote education to physical and emotionally challenged persons – skilled development
- To encourage the community to look after the disabled persons
- To provide disabled persons with entrepreneurial skills
- To support the skills development agenda of the country for university students to complete experiential/in-service training at the centre
- To enhance removal of cultural, physical, social, health, economic and other barriers that prevent PLWD from equally accessing opportunities and participating fully in all aspects of life
Current Beneficiaries
The centre has 15 volunteers (inclusive of management) and 45 beneficiaries with various disabilities:
| Disability Type | Number of Beneficiaries |
|---|---|
| Down syndrome | 10 |
| Intellectual disability | 5 |
| Severe intellectual disability | 6 |
| Profound intellectual disability | 4 |
| Moderate intellectual disability | 1 |
| Epilepsy | 3 |
| Cerebral palsy | 7 |
| Severe mental retardation | 3 |
| Moderate mental retardation | 1 |
| Mental retardation | 1 |
| Autism | 3 |
| TOTAL | 45 |
Governance Structure
Our team consists of five executive members and two additional members:
Plus representatives from the Department of Social Development
Centre Manager Experience
The manager has been a registered nurse since 1974 until 2010 and was the principal of a nursing college from 1990 until 2010. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Nursing Science.
Our Infrastructure
Our Programs & Projects
Current Projects
🌱 Gardening
✨ Beadwork
🧵 Sewing of Pillows
🧹 Cleaning
Entrepreneurial Development
The beneficiaries are developed in the following areas:
Product Development
Counting and packaging of products produced
Business Networking
Networking with small businesses that can buy our products
Skills Placement
Allocating beneficiaries to existing and nearby businesses for gaining more skills and job creation
Major Needs & Priorities
Infrastructure Development
- Borehole for garden irrigation and sustainable food security
- Proper fencing and CCTV to secure buildings, beneficiaries and property
- Enhancement of educational infrastructure
- Solar electricity system
Vocational & SMME Development
- Carpentry projects
- Hydroponics farming
- Poultry farming
- Manufacturing (toilet rolls, pampers, detergents)
Operational Support
- Stipends for volunteers (currently R500 per month)
- Monthly consumables and food supplies
- General maintenance
- Outsourced experts for training and rehabilitation
Capacity Building
- Brand ambassadors
- Professional development training
- Therapy equipment
- Transport vehicles
Current Challenges
The centre's current expenditure significantly exceeds income received. Mrs. Babile, a retiree with limited income and health challenges (requiring medical oxygen), struggles to adequately support this vital centre.
Urgent need: The centre must become an income-generating entity to achieve self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability.
Support Our Mission
Why Partner With Khomotsong?
Enable Rights Protection
Support the protection of rights for Persons Living with Disabilities
Skills Development
Support university students completing experiential/in-service training
Economic Impact
Enhance employment creation, poverty and crime reduction
Barrier Removal
Remove cultural, physical, social, health, and economic barriers
Global Standards
Promote advancement of rehabilitation centres to global standards
Employment Opportunities
Support enabling mechanisms to promote employment opportunities
Make a Donation
Banking Details
Account Name: Khomotsong Care Centre for the Disabled
Bank: Nedbank
Account Number: 113 187 3343
Every donation helps us provide professional rehabilitation and training
Current Partners
We are grateful for the support of our current partners:
Your Support Makes a Difference
Help us enhance adequate infrastructure, resources, and skills for long-term sustainability
Contact Us
Contact Information
Centre Contact
Mrs. Mokgadi Welhemina Babile
+27 68 393 9813
+27 67 578 8066
+27 61 456 6483
Physical Address
Stand NO 0011, Magatle Village
Lepelle-Nkumpi, Capricorn District
Limpopo Province
Postal Address
P.O. Box 139
Groothoek Hospital
Lepelle-Nkumpi
Limpopo 0628
Connect With Us
[Domain and email to be added]
Social Media
TikTok: Khomotsong Care Centre
Organisation Details
Entity: Khomotsong Care Centre for the Disabled
Category: Non-Profit Organisation (NPO)
Registration Number: NPO 189-359
Established: February 15, 2016
Officially Registered: May 11, 2017
Seeking Additional Partnerships
We are actively seeking new partnerships with service providers and organisations to develop vocational and SMME projects. If your organization can help with:
- Vocational training equipment
- SMME development projects
- Professional rehabilitation services
- Infrastructure development
- Skills training partnerships
Please contact us using the information above.