The Talhado Children's Haven was established in 1998 in order to provide a safe and stimulating environment for the children of Sea Vista, a township in St Francis Bay. St Francis Bay is located on the eastern coast of South Africa and is a popular tourist spot. For more info on St Francis Bay, click here.

Talhado Fishing Enterprises, which operates out of St Francis Bay, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town committed itself to ongoing support for the centre in its application for chokka and and peralgic fishing permits/quotas. There is no state support for the Haven and it relies totally on support from Talhado, volunteers and other donors.

More than 80 percent of the children come from troubled families. Due to the high rate of unemployment, there is a high incidence of child abuse as well as drug and alcohol addiction. The children are also subject to unhealthy influences such as criminal gangs. Without the Talhado Children's Haven, there would be nowhere for the youngsters to turn to for support. To find out how the Haven helps these children, please visit our Projects page.

The Haven's vision is, as explained by co-ordinator Mrs. Lesley Moore: "...to have a one-stop centre which meets all the needs of the community. We see it becoming a youth development centre which caters for the physical, intellectual and emotional needs of the children of the community."