Umthombo, South Africa

Umthombo Street Children works to support young women living on the streets of Durban and its surrounding townships, helping them build safer and more independent lives.

Supporting women’s path to independence and recovery

Umthombo has seen a rise in young women living on the streets due to domestic violence and poverty. Many of these women, with limited options, are often forced into sex work or become dependent on drugs and exploitative relationships.

Umthombo’s outreach workers visit the streets to build trust and offer a pathway to recovery, starting with detox and extending to a comprehensive programme aimed at helping them reclaim their independence.

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Umthombo offers a two-week detox programme in a serene game reserve, providing a peaceful environment away from the streets.

This includes a seven-day medical detox followed by a natural detox process, helping women take the first steps toward overcoming substance dependency. This unique setting offers them the opportunity to reflect and reset, setting the stage for their journey to recovery.

Umthombo offers a pathway to recovery
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After completing detox, women are invited to join Umthombo’s Independent Living Programme, which provides six months of supported accommodation. During this time, women receive vital life skills training to help them live independently and safely care for their children. The programme includes support for securing identification documents, education, and preparation for employment.

“Umthombo helped me a lot. Now, my life has changed. I no longer use drugs, and I live in a proper place. I’ve been provided with food, and they have paid for my room. They also helped me get an identity document, and I am on a waiting list to be enrolled in the Work Readiness Programme.” A participant in the Umthombo Independent Living Programme

Through these efforts, Umthombo enables young women to break free from exploitation and dependency, reclaim their independence, rebuild their lives and create a stable future for themselves and their children.

Amos Trust is supporting Umthombo’s work with young women living on the streets of Durban. This includes a detox programme in a peaceful environment to help women overcome substance dependency and their Independent Living Programme, which provides accommodation, life skills training, and support to help them rebuild their lives and regain independence.

Photography: Simphiwe Mdunge and Alison Sloane

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Our second book of poetry, prose, creative writing and reflection is now available. ‘Seeds Of Hope: More Thoughts and Reflections from Amos Trust’ has contributions from Zena Kazeme, Arundhati Roy, Ben Okri, Cornel West, Angela Davis, Robert Cohen, Maya Angelou and our partner Abdelfattah Abusrour. “What a wonderful collection of writing — rich, deep, broad, funny, touching, angry, and, most importantly, encouraging.” Brian Eno — producer, musician, writer and artist.

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Stories of Hope Doing Hope... in South Africa

April 2025 | FREE
Karin Joseph, Head of International Programmes at Amos Trust, has just returned from visiting our partner Umthombo in Durban, South Africa. Here, she writes an update on their work and how it continues to transform the lives of young people living in extremely dangerous situations.

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