For more than two decades, Irma Joubert has devoted her life to children who have nowhere else to go.
At the Daily Bread Child and Youth Care Centre in Mount Coke, Joubert now cares for 101 children between the ages of three and 18, many of whom arrive carrying the weight of abuse, neglect or loss.
“All the children here are placed by a court order,” she said.
“Some are orphaned, but many come from very difficult circumstances of abuse and neglect, and they don’t have people who can take care of them, so they are placed in a safe environment like this.”
The centre, established in 1987 through a trust created from two farms, has grown into a refuge for vulnerable children in Buffalo City Metro.
Joubert’s journey with the organisation began in 2002 when she joined the board, but it was not long before she realised that helping from a distance was not enough.
“To really make a difference, you can’t do it from the outside,” she said.
“I decided this is what I have to do.”
She became centre manager in 2013 and now oversees every aspect of daily life at the facility — from administration to ensuring children are fed, clothed and attending school.
Her role is as practical as it is personal.
“Our aim is to get the children whole again. We want them healed and prepared to face the future,” Joubert said.
Education forms a central part of that healing.
Younger children attend a school on the premises, while older pupils travel to nearby high schools, including Ebenenezer Majombozi and Qaqamba.
For children who struggle in mainstream classrooms, the centre arranges alternative education programmes, ensuring no-one is left behind.
But running a facility in a rural area comes with its own challenges.
Transport is a constant hurdle, with staff and children relying on daily trips in and out of Mount Coke.
Despite this, Joubert continues to look ahead.
Plans are under way to open a preschool on site for children aged three to five, using a converted space that still needs to be fully equipped.
It is always better when they go to varsity, as they avoid going back to the same environment that led them to the centre
The most difficult moments, she says, come when children turn 18 and must leave the centre.
The transition into adulthood can be abrupt, and while the centre assists with applications for tertiary education and alternative placements, the path forward is not always clear.
“It is always better when they go to varsity, as they avoid going back to the same environment that led them to the centre,” Joubert said.
She hopes to one day establish a transitional home where young adults can spend an extra year gaining skills and work experience.
“At 18, you are not ready yet to fend for yourself,” she said.
“If we can bridge that gap, it would make a big difference.”
For some, the impact of Daily Bread lasts a lifetime.
Siyabulela Bottoman, now 50, arrived at the centre as a young man after leaving an unstable home and spending time on the streets.
“I met a group of other people who were in the same situation, and we stumbled across the establishment which became our new home,” he said.
“Daily Bread helped me a lot, it provided a shelter, love, and everything I lacked, and from someone who was raised by the streets, that means a lot, and I will forever be grateful.”
Today, he has come full circle, working at the centre and taking care of maintenance — helping to sustain the place that once gave him a second chance.
He credits Joubert with changing the course of his life.
“Irma never gave me the chance to give up on myself, as she tried by all means to close the void by providing the love, and a sense of being,” he said.
Those who work alongside her say that quiet determination defines Joubert’s approach.
Alanthea Alberts, who nominated her for a Daily Dispatch Local Heroes accolade, said Joubert’s impact lies in the small, consistent acts of care that shape each child’s day.
“What truly sets Irma apart is her genuine love and compassion for the children,” Alberts said.
“She knows most of them by name, understands their individual needs, and treats each child with kindness, dignity and patience.
“Her presence brings stability, warmth and consistency to their daily lives.”
Alberts said Joubert worked tirelessly, often six days a week or more, without seeking recognition.
“She continues to show up, give her best and uplift those around her without seeking recognition,” she said.
Daily Dispatch
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