Little Saints of Bethany

Bethany Home takes its name from the biblical village of Bethany — a place of rest, restoration, and being known. It is an apt name for what the organisation has offered to abused women and their children in Johannesburg for more than 35 years: not just safety, but a place where they can be seen, heard, and helped to heal at a pace that real recovery requires.

Founded in 1989 by Val Halley-Wright in the Bertrams area of Johannesburg, Bethany is registered as NPO 001-362 and Public Benefit Organisation 930002543, with Section 18A tax exemption status — meaning donations are tax-deductible. It is currently managed by Bridget Edwards. The street address is not published for the safety of residents.

The Bethany Model: Long-Term Rehabilitation

Most South African GBV shelters operate crisis-response models with short or medium stays — weeks or a few months. Bethany's model is deliberately different. Women and their children are accommodated for approximately 12 to 18 months, on the premise that recovering from years of abuse — rebuilding self-worth, developing practical independence, establishing a safety net, finding employment, securing housing — cannot happen in a few weeks. The shelter currently accommodates up to 50 women and children and reaches approximately 50 abused women and their children in any given year.

The mission statement is clear: to create a caring environment in which women and children find healing and teaching, and to integrate each woman back into society as a self-supporting, economically independent person.

Services

Safe Accommodation and Food Women and their children are provided with a home — a place where they can sleep, eat, and be safe for as long as the rehabilitation process requires.

Counselling Counselling is provided to both the women and their children — recognising that children who witness domestic violence carry their own trauma that must be addressed alongside their mother's recovery.

Medical Referrals Women who arrive at Bethany often have unaddressed physical health needs — injuries, chronic conditions, untreated illnesses. The home facilitates referrals for appropriate medical attention.

Legal Assistance Qualified legal volunteers provide legal assistance — helping women understand their rights, navigate protection orders, engage with courts, and access legal remedies. This voluntary legal service is a significant resource for women who cannot afford private legal help.

Document Assistance Many women fleeing abusive partners lack identity documents, or their documents have been withheld or destroyed by abusers. Bethany assists women in obtaining the identity documents and other documentation they need to access services, open bank accounts, and establish an independent life.

Occupational Therapy — The Stitch Project The craft programme — known as the "Stitch" project — is where residents make picnic blankets and other craft items that are sold to raise funds for the home. Beyond its fundraising function, the craft programme serves as occupational therapy: a structured, creative, productive activity that rebuilds routine, confidence, fine motor skills, and a sense of accomplishment in women whose lives have been defined by chaos and powerlessness. Stitch products can be found and ordered through the associated Facebook page.

Career Counselling and Vocational Skills Training Bethany provides career counselling and practical vocational skills training to equip women to find sustainable, paid employment after leaving the shelter. Economic independence is one of the most powerful protections against returning to or re-encountering an abusive situation.

Job Placement Assistance The home actively assists women in finding employment — not just preparing them for the job market but accompanying them into it.

School and Pre-School Placement for Children Bethany assists in placing children of residents into appropriate schools and pre-schools — ensuring that children's education continues despite the disruption of the family's emergency situation.

Faith Foundation

Bethany operates within a Christian framework, describing its mission as helping women and children find healing, love, and teaching in a caring environment. This faith basis informs the culture of the home but does not appear to restrict access to women of other faiths.

Bethany Home: Bertrams, Johannesburg. Phone: 011 614 3245 (Bridget Edwards, Manager). Postal: Box 16612, Doornfontein, 2028. NPO 001-362. PBO 930002543. S18A tax exempt. Website: bethanyhome.co.za. Founded 1989.