Children’s right activist seen as pillar of hope in Pefferville community

In the East London community of Pefferville, Geraldine Ruiters, 56, is a beacon of hope.

She runs a child and youth multipurpose centre from her own home, and aims to assist the most impoverished and destitute of society.

Ruiters said: “This centre is mainly to promote children’s rights while also acting in the best interests of our senior citizens who need assistance.”

The centre assists about 200 of Pefferville’s youth and 50 elderly citizens. Most of the people who walk through her doors are in dire need of help.

She said: “Most of the children are neglected and severely abused, whether mentally, physically or sexually. They are also often the victims of drug-related violence.”

She also makes it a priority to take care of the old and vulnerable.

“The elderly have a special place in my heart because I grew up with old parents who needed a lot of assistance. You can be an orphan while having parents.”

Ruiters was motivated to start the multipurpose centre by her own rough upbringing.

“I grew up in a child-headed household, starting about the age of 12, without really even knowing it. My mother was mentally challenged and spent a lot of my childhood in and out of mental facilities. My father was also away, working out of town, which meant I was then stuck taking care of my two younger brothers.

“I didn’t even know I was in a child-headed household because it was just so normal where I’m from. But by the grace of God, we had assistance from our neighbours who we were close to.”

Thanks to all this, Ruiters was forced to drop out of high school.

“I was vulnerable, so I hung about with the wrong friends and did the wrong things, which made me unable to focus on my schoolwork. I then dropped out of school in Grade 11.

“Later on in life, I developed a passion for children and elderly people. I took any training I could get to be able to help these people. You wouldn’t believe all the certificates I have. Maybe more than 100!”

Asked about funding, she replies simply: “I don’t have any government assistance. I operate this centre with the help of donations from friends and the ladies from the church. The soup kitchen that feeds the children staying in the centre comes from those donations. If there is enough food left over, we then give it to the elderly.

“People have told me to look for government assistance, but I am genuinely doing this because I’m passionate about it and I believe God will always make a plan.”

A sense of community also motivates Ruiters. “Community is my life. I have dedicated most of it to helping those who need it. The community also helps out in terms of donations. Whether it be my online friends or the church, I really could not do it without their help.”

Nominator Dawood Arkeldien said Ruiters did all she could to assist many families in the Pefferville community. Even though she struggled to attract finance, she still did her best to improve the lives of many people in her community.

He said: “She developed this amazing passion to help the less fortunate in her community of Pefferville. Her aim is to reach out to the most vulnerable people around her. These include orphans, vulnerable children and senior citizens.

“With this passion in mind, she grabs any opportunity that presents itself to her, to empower and develop herself, to assist the less fortunate, and to help them to better their lives.”

Arkeldien said the centre’s vision and mission is to promote and uphold the rights of children, and act in the best interests of the community's senior citizens and chronic clients.

“Ruiters has a personal relationship with the community, due to the door-to-door home visits she does.

“Poverty in and about Pefferville is real and a huge challenge in the community. So she also runs a feeding scheme, which is made possible with donations received from online contributors as well as friends and family.”

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