Gerda Janse van Rensburg, a director at Neumann van Rooyen was awarded the PPS professional woman of the year award (runner-up) for 2013. 

The award was made in recognition of her involvement in the community and in particular her involvement at the House of Hope project.  The project is aimed at early intervention in the lives of abandoned babies and wants to prevent children from growing up in institutions.   Abandoned, orphaned, and neglected babies are admitted to the house.  

The House of Hope project in Welkom has functioned since 2006 and has rendered a service to 268 babies.   

The babies are cared for in terms of their physical need whilst their statutory position is investigated by a social worker and their medical status is determined.   If babies cannot be re-united with their biological parents/family, they will either be placed into a home for children with special needs (if the baby is terminally ill or disabled) or referred for adoption.   It is expected that babies would stay in the Child & Youth Care Centre between 6 & 7 months.  

The project provides care for children of all races  between the ages of  0yrs and 18 years and aims to develop and manage the Child and Youth Care Centre for Abandoned and Special Needs Babies and children (HIV-infected and affected, brain damaged etc.).  These children will be cared for until they can be re-united with their families or placed in Professional Foster Care or be adopted.

The project also renders a counseling service to women and young girls who experience an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.  It is the aim of the project to ensure that babies are not abandoned or endangered by mothers who have no other options and who does not have the means to care for the baby she will give birth to.

The project also runs a Pregnancy Crisis and Family Support Center.   Here birthmothers and fathers are counseled by trained counselors and given enough information for them to make an informed and responsible decision on the future of their unborn baby.  Birthparents receive after-care regardless of what they decide about their child and will be assisted with clothes, formula and advice for the first month.  At this centre school children will be counseled by trained counselors during life orientation cessions.   The counselors also assist families with substance abuse, physical or emotional abuse, STI’s and HIV and are referred to an organization that will assist them further with those issues.