OUR HISTORY
The land on which Kungwini Welfare Organisation is situated was donated by the late Dr Arrie Jungnickel to the Cripple Care Association. The residential care facility is named after the only son of Dr and Mrs Jungnickel. Paul Jungnickel died at a young age in a motorcycle accident. (Paul Jungnickel was physically challenged)
Paul Jungnickel Home opened its doors in May 1983. (Paul Jungnickel Home was built to house and care for 42 adult persons with disabilities.)
1983-1984
- First residents were admitted in May 1983.
- Official opening of Paul Jungnickel Home: 30 November 1983
- Mr and Mrs Boshoff the second Management Team at Paul Jungnickel Home was appointed in February 1984.
1992-1993
- During 1993 Paul Jungnickel Home was re-registered to house 50 residents
- Mnr en Mrs Boshoff, management Team at Paul Jungnickel Home resigned and Mrs Thea de Bruyn was appointed
1995-1996
During 1995 the Department of Social Development implemented subsidy cuts to residential care facilities. At that stage The Association for persons with Disabilities: Gauteng North manages two institutions, Paul Jungnickel Home and Phyllis Robertson Home. Paul Jungnickel Home at that stage housed 50 adult persons with disabilities and Phyllis Robertson Home housed 64 adult disabled persons. After thorough investigation to ensure the long term sustainability of institutional care in the Association it was decided to amalgamate Paul Jungnickel Home and Phyllis Robertson House. It was decided that all the residents that was residing in Phyllis Robertson Home will move to Paul Jungnickel Home. It was also decided that Phyllis Robertson Home becomes a private residential care facility.
During a parents meeting in August 1995 it was also decided that Paul Jungnickel Home will become independent from the Association for persons with Disabilities: Gauteng North.
The amalgamation process was started in September 1995 and the residents from Phyllis Robertson Home started to move to Paul Jungnickel Home. At the end of March 1996 the amalgamation process was completed and Paul Jungnickel Home then housed 117 residents.
Paul Jungnickel Home held its first Annual General Meeting on the 24th of February 1996. On the 24th of February 1996, Paul Jungnickel Home’s first Board of Management was elected. The first Chairperson for the Board of Management was Mr Daan Minnie.
1998
Paul Jungnickel Home started with its first outreach programme to the broader community and opened a Primary Health Clinic
1999
In partnership with the Department of Health we opened a full time Primary Health Clinic on the 1st of April 1999. With an average of 201 patients per month
2000
- We started with an Early Learning Centre at Boschkop Primary School for children between the ages of 2 to 6 years.
- The first Nickel Christmas Market took place at Gallagher Estate in Midrand. The Christmas Market was initiated by Zizabantu Associates.
- PJ Trust was established.
2001
- Boschkop early learning centre accommodates 94 children from 1-6 years
2002
Kungwini Welfare Organisation was established on 8th of June 2002 as an umbrella body to the different programmes that the Organisation manages:
- Paul Jungnickel Home
- Kungwini Early Learning Centre
- Community and Social Work Services
Community projects was expand to accommodate:
- School safety project
- We celebrated world environment day
- HIV/Aids campaign
- STD and teenage pregnancy campaign
- We started with a gardening project in Kameelzynkraal
2003
- Protective Workshop was built with the help of the Job Creation Trust and Lotto.
2006
- KWO participated in a protest march after the Government cut all NGOs subsidies by 25%.
- The Department of Social Development started negotiations with the Organisation to open a Children’s Home.
- The Organisation started a Logistics’ Department and the Central Store room to manage the Organisation’s stock and assets.
2010
- The Organisation opened a second Early Learning Centre at Zwavelpoort on the 4th of May 2010.
2011
- The Organisation opened an Early Childhood Development Centre at Lethabong
- Kungwini Children’s Home was opened on the 1st of October 2011.
- Kungwini Child and Youth Care Centre admitted the first two children on 3 October
- Lethabong Community Centre was established. MLC Church built a church on Kungwini’s premises in Lethabong.
2012
- April 2012 will always be remembered by the Shigela outbreak that caused the life of 4 of our residents. After investigation the Department of Health stated that the Shigela bacteria was from an outside source. With the hard work and dedication we were able to eliminate the bacteria in 2 weeks.
- After 12 years of delivering services to children at the Organisation’s Early Learning Centre, we had te terminate the project due to transport problems.
2013
- After consultations with the Department of Social Development we changed our intake criteria and in future will cater for children with special needs
2015
- The Organisation opened a Social Work office in Plot 45, Pienaarspoort, and Township. The opening was held on the 2nd of February 2015.
2016
- Thea de Bruyn passed away. She was the Director from 1995 - 2016 (21 years).
2017
- Daleen Botes was appointed as Chief Executive Officer.
2018
- KWO applied for a subsidy to the Department of Health for Paul Jungnickel Home for the new financial year 2019/2020.
2019
- KWO informs the Department of Development that Paul Jungnickel Home will from 1 April 2019 move over to the Department of Health for subsidy.
- KWO was registered as a residential mental health care facility for adults with disabilities at the Department of Health.
- Notice was given to the Department of Development to close down the Kungwini Child and Youth Care Centre due to financial constraints.
- Kungwini Child and Youth Care Centre was renovated to accommodate senior residents with disabilities.
- Paul Jungnickel Home Senior opened its doors on 1 August 2019 to accommodate 24 geriatric residents.
2020
- The Nickel Christmas Market celebrates their 20 year anniversary