This week marks 15 years that our founder, Graham Cochrane, perished when the Moquini Yacht went down during the Mauritius to Durban Yacht Race.
We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to name our I Care family houses in Lower Illovo in memory of 3 great men:
late Graham Cochrane (founder member), Laurence Henry Cochrane (Graham’s father), and Kenneth Cross (Businessman / mentor / trustee). These gentlemen laid the solid foundation of values and ethics on which I Care has built on and evolved over the years, giving hope and a future to 1000’s of children living on the streets of Durban!
Many of the staff and children (who were not at school due to the COVID timetable) attended the unveiling of the name plaques, where many happy memories were reflected.
GRAHAM DAVID COCHRANE
Graham Cochrane
A good and faithful Christian man and the founder and heart of I Care. Graham was inspired by his father’s life and the values he instilled in his family.
Listening carefully to what God asked him to do, he looked after children in need and always put others before himself.
Sadly, the Moquini, the yacht that Graham was on, went down in September 2005.
To the family living in this house, always remember to be very grateful for the lovely home that you have.
Graham was an extremely hard working man, who was never selfish with his time or money, so today, thanks to Graham, you have a beautiful home to live in.
To honor this wonderful man, lets continue to keep this home full of love and respect and always giving all glory to God.
LAURENCE HENRY COCHRANE
Laurence Henry Cochrane was Graham’s dad, and very respected by Graham. To honor his dad after his death, Graham started the LHC Foundation Trust, which is how I Care first started in 2002.
Laurence instilled great Christian values in his family. He lived a simple life, helping those in need, putting his family first and being wise with dealings in his life. This generous gentleman, with his warm and caring heart, was a hardworking man who was highly respected by all.
To honor this wonderful man, lets continue to keep this home full of love and respect and always giving all glory to God.
KENNETH LOUIS CROSS
Ken Cross
Kenneth was a wise business man. When he retired he became a missionary who was God’s hands and feet.
He enriched the villages with God’s word and taught the children of the communities the importance of education.
Ken worked closely with the builders of these 3 houses and made sure they were built well and perfectly designed to give you the lovely homes that you have today.
To honor this wonderful man, lets continue to keep this home full of love and respect and always giving all glory to God.
THE HISTORY OF I CARE
LHC Foundation Trust
This trust was formed in 2002 in memory of the late Graham Cochrane’s father, Laurence Henry Cochrane.
Graham was inspired by his father’s life and the values he instilled in his family.
“My father did not share the many material pleasures that children of his age enjoyed, He lived a simple live with simple values. Help those in need, put your family first, be wise in your dealings in life. He left a legacy which by today’ standards is all but lost. We have tried to capture that legacy in this Foundation, and to reflect it in our Statement of Values”
Thanks to the values and Christian principles that his father had instilled in his family, Graham established this Trust to give something back to the community in which he lives.
The I Care campaign started as as Awareness campaign, with advertisements on radio and in the press, warning the public that giving money to street children is not a solution and in fact contributes to the problem.
I Care are now in their 18th year of helping street children in Durban through their tailor made holistic cycle:
We have a long lasting, sustainable impact – solving tomorrow’s problems, not just today’s.
Our I Cycle provides for every aspect of the child’s needs.
Awareness: We educate the public not to give money because it keeps the children on the streets
Outreach: We reach out to the street children and begin the process of rebuilding and restoring them
Rehabilitation: We work through each child’s emotional problems and substance abuse
Housing: We ensure that the children are housed safely and that their needs are met within a family unit
Education: We provide the children with the tools and skills they need to become effective members of society
Aftercare: We monitor the children to ensure they are on track and do not find their way back to the street
Work skills: We provide skills training and assist them with finding employment
