The Peace Agency is a Durban-based NGO run by Umhlanga resident, Justin Foxton. Two key areas of focus for the organisation are: Adoption and Mentorship.
Adoption: • Justin and his wife Cathy ran The Baby House (a transition home for abandoned/orphaned babies) in Umhlanga for four years before moving it across to premises in La Lucia. Since starting this home, The Peace Agency has helped to open three other crisis homes and plans to do another two early in 2014. Individuals and organisations wanting to start a crisis home are welcome to contact The Peace Agency for advice and help. • The first “Adoption 101” workshop was held recently by The Peace Agency at Grace Church and received a great response. This workshop will become an ongoing event aimed at promoting a culture of adoption, and providing information for people interested in or wanting to support adoption.
Mentorship: Bright Stars is a mentorship programme started two years ago by Justin in conjunction with Grace Church. Children currently in institutional adoption homes (e.g. Durban Children’s Home) are paired with mentors, and mentors are encouraged to meet with their mentees once a week, for one hour, for a period of one year. Research has shown that relationships of this kind (i.e. personal commitment) create, on the part of mentees, an exponential decrease in drug-taking, violence and truancy, and an incremental increase in completing school. Mentorship training is provided and individuals wanting to sign up as mentors can contact The Peace Agency. The organisation aims to get every child at Durban Children’s Home (aged five to 20) a mentor by early 2014.
Contact: Justin Foxton, justin@peaceagency.org.za.