Mater Domini Home

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Offering free, confidential, compassionate shelter and support to women in crisis pregnancy and women suffering abuse or domestic violence, regardless of race, creed, marital status, or economic background. Established in September 2007 in Pinelands and subsequently relocated to Claremont, Mater Domini operates under the patronage of Archbishop Stephen Brislin and within the Cape Town Archdiocese, guided by a philosophy rooted in victim support theory and the dignity of every woman and child. The Home provides safe residential accommodation for pregnant women and mothers with young children who face financial hardship, accommodation challenges, or the need for protection from violence; individual counselling; pre- and postnatal support; practical skills development (cooking, budgeting, infant care, home management); guidance towards adoption, foster care, or family reunification through partnerships with social workers; access to local doctors, hospitals, courts, and clinics; and support towards independent living and employment. The Home's founding conviction — that every woman who comes through its doors deserves not a handout but a genuine "hand up" — shapes every aspect of its programme. Mater Domini is not a substitute for specialist GBV crisis services but is an essential faith-based resource for vulnerable pregnant women and women with infants in Cape Town who need a safe place to stay, heal, and rebuild. Contact: 021 671 6008 / 079 891 6749. Facebook: facebook.com/MaterDominiHome.

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Contact & Location

: 10 1st Ave, Claremont, Cape Town, 7708, South Africa
: 079 891 6749
: Communications@materdomini.net
: https://m.facebook.com/MaterDominiHome/

Opening Hours

Opening hours not available. Contact the organisation directly.

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1.0

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About

Who Mater Domini Serves

The Home serves two overlapping groups: women in crisis pregnancy (including schoolgirls and students who have nowhere safe to go during their pregnancies), and women suffering abuse or domestic violence. These are not distinct populations — many women experience both simultaneously. The Home's willingness to shelter pregnant women specifically makes it a distinctive resource in Cape Town, where many shelters cannot accommodate women in late pregnancy or with very young infants.

Women who are homeless during pregnancy, or who cannot safely remain at home while pregnant, can find refuge here for the duration of their pregnancy and into the early postnatal period.

Residential Programme and Support

While in residence, women receive individual counselling; pre- and postnatal care; practical life skills training including cooking, infant care, budgeting, and home management; support accessing nearby health services, hospitals, and clinics (all close to the Claremont location); court accompaniment and legal referral support; guidance towards adoption, foster care, or family reunification through social worker partnerships; and active support towards employment and independent living.

The goal of the programme is not dependency — it is to walk alongside each woman as she "rediscovers her self-worth and finds her place in society," in the words of the Home's mission statement. Women are helped to develop the basic practical and vocational skills required to support themselves and their children once they leave.

Adoption, Foster Care, and Birth Options Counselling

For women who are considering adoption or foster care, Mater Domini works with social workers and local partners to provide information and support. The Home's ethos is consistently to provide each woman with all the information she needs to make her own informed decisions — while offering the practical support of a safe and stable home while she makes them.

Faith Community and Sustainability

The Home is sustained through donations from the Catholic community, parish fundraising, and individual donors. Donations are Section 18A tax-deductible. The Home also runs a Circle of Friends monthly giving initiative and is actively seeking embroidery skills volunteers for a planned income-generating linen project.

Mater Domini Home: Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape. Phone: 021 671 6008 / 079 891 6749. NPO 089-510-NPO / PBO 930036903 (S18A). Facebook: facebook.com/MaterDominiHome. Website: materdomini.net.