HOT 102.7FM and Hot Cares invest in the future of one of Johannesburg's most remarkable women's shelters

Every Mandela Day, Hot Cares looks for organisations where a single investment can create a lasting ripple effect. This year, that search led to the Frida Hartley Shelter in Yeoville.

Founded in 1922, Frida Hartley is one of Johannesburg's oldest shelters for vulnerable women, but its true distinction lies in its philosophy. One of the few shelters where mothers can remain with their children while rebuilding their lives, it provides counselling, childcare, career guidance, financial literacy, computer training and employment support to help women regain independence.

Many former residents have gone on to secure employment, establish independent homes and even return to support the shelter that helped them. It is a model built on empowerment rather than dependency.

"When Hot Cares chooses an organisation, we don't simply look at need," says Carmen Rocha, Director of Hot Cares NPC. "We look for organisations that are exceptionally well run, financially responsible and genuinely changing lives. Frida Hartley is exactly that."

Led by Cheryl Hlabane, who left the corporate world to dedicate herself to vulnerable women and children, the shelter has become far more than temporary accommodation. It is a home where families regain stability, confidence and hope.

Rather than trying to reinvent an organisation that already works exceptionally well, Hot Cares focused on removing the barriers preventing it from doing even more.

More than R340 000 was invested in projects that will benefit residents for years to come. The shelter received replacement laptops for digital skills training and job applications following a recent break-in, expanded solar infrastructure to improve energy resilience which now protects the shelter from prolonged power outages ensuring critical services such as security, refrigeration and food storage can continue.

Following a devastating break-in that left residents without reliable hot water, the shelter also received a new gas geyser, gas infrastructure and replacement cooking facilities, restoring essential daily services for mothers, children and the wider community and improvements to the baby daycare to better support mothers attending training and job interviews.

Residents also received new bedding, towels, winter pyjamas, reusable sanitary products and other essential items that restore both comfort and dignity.

Perhaps the most significant investment came at the end of the day.

Several years ago, the shelter commissioned a survey confirming that a reliable underground water source existed beneath the property. A borehole had long formed part of Cheryl's vision for the future, but, like many worthwhile projects in the non-profit sector, funding simply wasn't available.  The day's biggest announcement was a commitment of R75 000 towards drilling and installing a borehole. Combined with the upgraded solar system, it will reduce operating costs while ensuring reliable access to water for both the shelter and the surrounding community.

"This was never about renovating a building," says Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM. "It was about investing in an organisation with an extraordinary track record so that every donation stretches further, every programme becomes stronger and every woman who comes here has an even better chance of building an independent future."

For Hot Cares, that's what Mandela Day is all about. Not simply helping organisations survive but helping exceptional organisations thrive.