Thora Mansfield

“The monarch butterfly uses the current to lift it for migration. The women who come through here are like the monarch butterfly on a journey, and we are that current, I suppose - the current that lifts them, so they are able to carry on.” Thora Mansfield, founder and director of the Open Door Crisis Care Centre.

"Being able to make a difference in the lives of people or families in our community that are hurting, is what inspires us to carry on – this is how we define success." Thora Mansfield, founder and director of the Open Door Crisis Care Centre.

One could say that running the Open Door Crisis Care Centre was a calling for this great-gran. She recalls her early childhood as not being the easiest. As a young woman, she has always been involved with the "underdog" - passionate about issues concerning women, especially those from the townships. Growing up, Thora wanted to become a nurse, but because of her "dysfunctional family life", this was not possible. She then wanted to become a missionary. Two of her daughters are missionaries, something they obviously got from her. Fast forward to 2023, the 86-year-old "Mother Teresa of the Highway" is leading the fight when it comes to transforming lives for the better, especially those of abused women – something that has become a cancer in South Africa.

It was in 1997 that the SAPS approached her about counselling abused women due to the rising number of domestic cases. However, no woman came to the police station because they did not see it as a safe space. This motivated Thora to start the Open Door Crisis Care Centre in the back of the Anglican Church with two tiny rooms, a borrowed computer and R100 in the bank. 26 years later, Thora Mansfield and her team of dedicated staff members at the Open Door Crisis Care Centre have assisted close to 500 000 people with counselling, psychometric services and those in urgent need of a place to call home. The work they do also includes working with 10 townships every week.

The shelter was also the first in KZN to take in women who had escaped human trafficking. Her work has seen her travelling the world to learn more about trafficking and how to deal with it. Mansfield says that her passion is turning victims into victors – something that almost every woman who walks or crawls through their doors needs to be reminded of, that they CAN be victors. This kind of work, as fulfilling as it is, can also be emotionally draining, especially when it is 24 hours, 7 days a week. But stopping is not an option for Thora – that means someone’s life could also literally come to a stop.

As one can imagine, running a place like this is a constant challenge and requires many kinds of donations, but with the help of local businesses in and around Pinetown, like SUPERSPAR KNOWLES and SPAR Head office, they are able to provide 17,000 meals a year and keep the lights on to continue with the good work in healing our communities. The dynamics changed and became even more challenging with Covid as the centre had to take in even more women, including the homeless. Covid saw much of the sponsorship dry up as companies were cutting costs to stay afloat. This woman of faith, together with her warriors, held firm through extremely testing times to do what she was called for – serve others.

There are many other women like Thora Mansfield, who put others first, finding peace and joy in healing others, providing good strong role models for others and understanding that healing a woman is healing the nation. To all these women: SIYANIBONA – we see you! This is why we are proud to build communities with organisations like the Open Door Crisis Care Centre. We run little-big initiatives for women by selling bracelets and organising races where the money generated is donated to places like the Open Door Crisis Care Centre, because we believe it’s for a good cause.

Open Door Crisis Centre
NPO nr: 005 920
7 Windsor Road, Pinetown
24 Hour Call number: 064 996 9256
Tel: 031 7092679
Email: admin@opendoor.org.za
www.opendoor.org.za

Banking Details for any wishing to make a donation:
First National Bank – Crompton Street Pinetown
Account Name: The Open Door
Account Type: Nich Business Account
Account Number: 50811127775
Branch Code: 221626
Branch Name: Pinetown
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Date Opened: 1997 – 01 – 31