History

Mother of Peace was first established in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1989 by twins Beverley Olbers and Rene van Meygaarden (deceased). Since then, two more communities have started up in Zimbabwe – 1994 and Illovo – 2002. Mother of Peace Illovo was opened based on the needs of children affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis in KwaZulu-Natal and is led by South Africans Gavin and Linda Gradwell.
 

Our Mission

Mother of Peace Communities is a non-profit organisation that works to restore traditional family life to orphaned and vulnerable children based on the values and teachings of the Catholic Church.
At the core of our mission, we strongly believe that each child has the right to be safe, to belong, to be heard and to grow up in a happy family environment.
Situated in the tranquil Illovo Sugar plantation, we provide healthcare and counselling support for our children to assist them in their journey to recovery.
We strongly believe in family-oriented homes. Our children are placed into families where six children live with a house mother who showers them with love, support and attention to facilitate their recovery and personal growth.
Our goal is to bring them up as responsible members of society and provide palliative care to those who need it.