The meaning of heart: "faith, charity and children" : an analysis of faith based foster care and children's homes in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Abstract: The author describes and discusses children’s social welfare in Cape Town, South Africa, particularly in light of faith/religiosity as a motivating factor for charitable actions and activity among individuals and organisations. He outlines the general environment in which organisations are operating, draws a number of Faith Based as well as Secular organisations and individuals into the discussion, and describes the way in which religion and beliefs influence, moderate, and guide these groups in their daily routines and overreaching objectives and goals. The author will illustrate the central role that religion and religiosity play both in the initial impetus to become involved with Child Social Welfare as well as the role that it plays in retaining both staff and volunteers within this industry. Further, the author will demonstrate the ways in which religious ideology impacts upon and informs the ideology and policy of the distinct organisations which are discussed here in an attempt to demonstrate the ways in which religious ideology interacts both internally within the organisations and externally informing their relationship with those around them. Finally the author will describe the way in which religion influences and impacts on the children that are being raised and care for by these organisations, examining the way in which individual organisations ideologies and religious positioning changes the children’s upbringing and the goals that they have for the future of the children.