Young Lives Matter: UOC and Doxa Deo’s TREE Ministry Join Forces for Safer Schools

Unchain Our Children (UOC) recently held an information session with youth workers from the North Zone of Doxa Deo’s TREE ministry in Pretoria. The gathering focused on strengthening support for South Africa’s learners, teachers, and parents amid growing challenges facing young people.

TREE – Transforming Educational Environments – is a Doxa Deo initiative established on Biblical principles. Its youth workers reach out to primary and secondary schools, empowering learners, teachers, and parents to foster healthy, thriving school communities that positively influence broader society.⁠Treeschools

During the session, participants discussed the vital role of social work in youth development, the responsibilities of youth workers, and the critical importance of reporting child abuse and violations to the South African Police Service (SAPS). Topics also included strategies for preventing and addressing bullying, abuse, and exploitation. The meeting explored synergies between the two organisations and expanded their collaborative networks.

“Collaboration of like-minded organizations sharing the same objective, namely, the wellbeing of children, is of utmost importance. Joint outreaches like this one impact impressively on the young audiences from different perspectives,” said Wayne van Onselen, Founder and Executive Director of Unchain Our Children.

South African youth, like their global counterparts, face intense pressures: peer influence, pervasive online exposure, societal emphasis on external beauty and recognition, and demands to conform that can lead to exploitation and harm. UOC and TREE aim to counter these influences by equipping young people with tools for resilience and safety.

Founded by Wayne van Onselen nearly a decade ago (around 2013), Unchain Our Children has dedicated itself to combating child abuse, human trafficking, gender-based violence, and other rights violations. Through awareness campaigns, direct interventions, crisis support, and community education, UOC has built a strong track record of protecting vulnerable children. Its successful partnerships with aligned organisations, such as TREE, amplify impact by combining expertise and reaching wider audiences in schools and communities.

These joint efforts underscore a shared commitment: creating environments where children can thrive without fear. By addressing root issues like abuse prevention and healthy relational dynamics, the collaboration supports not only individual learners but also stronger families and future communities.

Discover & Connect

To partner with Unchain Our Children or learn more about their work, contact Wayne van Onselen at 072 364 8246. For reporting abuse or exploitation, call the UOC National Crisis Line: 067 323 7116.

Discover TREE Schools:  https://www.treeschools.org/about-tree-transforming-educational-environments/