Shepherd's Keep

Shepherd's Keep was founded in 1998 by Colin and Cheryl Pratley after the Lord gave Cheryl a vision of the home she needed to establish. The toll of the HIV epidemic has tragically impacted the rate of abandonment and also the number of babies orphaned due to their parents dying from AIDS related illness.
Shepherd's Keep is a place of love and restoration, these tiny little babies arrive shocked, starved and sometimes just hanging onto life by a thread. We immediately begin restoring them to health, both physically and emotionally while social workers source loving forever families for them. When a baby is terminally ill, it is our privilege to comfort them and hold them until they take their last breath. For some of them, we are the only arms they will ever know and the look of bewilderment in their eyes lives with us. But, we are blessed that we are in a position to make their quality of life as high and as painfree as is humanly possible while they are with us.
Volunteers form an integral part of our organisation and we value the time, effort and joy they bring to the babies. They are extra pairs of loving arms, comforting and cherishing these little blessings.
Our volunteer program runs for 3 - 6 months and accommodation and self-catering facilities are provided on site. We also provide transport to local supermarkets and sightseeing attractions. Hours of work are flexible, with the caregivers working from 6:30am to 5:30am dayshift and vice versa for nightshift. The building is beautiful, sunny and airy and has an alarm system which makes it safe and secure. The gardens are tranquil and the chapel is cool in summer - a good place to put your feet up with a cup of coffee! We are not in a rural area, but close to gorgeous beaches and all amenities.
We ask a donationof $450 per month to cover our utility bills as we are non-profit and rely on donations for our existence and the running costs are huge as our caregivers are paid and we buy all supplies such as formula and nappies.
Volunteers will be able to work directly with our babies, caring for them, feeding, changing and bathing them. It is advisable, although not imperative that volunteers have some experience with babies.