Board Members
For Heartlands to accomplish their goals effectively, it is essential that robust governance systems are in place.
Board members are the fiduciaries who adopt sound governance and financial management policies and ensure that Heartlands has adequate resources to advance their mission. It is an honor to introduce our board members:
Eugénie Smith
Chairman of the Board
Eugénie holds a BA (1968) and a HONS B & A (1984) from Stellenbosch University. She serves, and has served, as a Committee Member or Trustee on the Boards of a number of NPO’s, where she is mainly involved in human resource management and corporate governance sub-committees. She was actively involved with Stellenbosch Hospice NPC as Chairman and as Acting General Manager. She currently serves as Chairman of the Western Cape Regional Management Board and a Trustee on the National Board of Girls ‘and Boys ‘Town South Africa. She has been the Chairman of Heartlands Baby Sanctuary since its establishment 9 years ago.
Mrs Zaheeda Sonday
Secretary of the Board
Zaheeda is an admitted Advocate of the High Court. She has a LLB degree and runs her own legal consultancy for the past 11 years, ZS LEGAL SERVICES. She specialises in all corporate advising, drafting of agreements, Bee Consulting and various other business law matters. She also owns a food company called All About Food where we manufacture frozen foods, daily meals, range of spices and sauces. Zaheeda is a wife and mother to 2 beautiful kids.
Shawn Thomas Cupido
Treasurer of the Board
Shawn has had a myriad of experiences, including international professional exposure. He established the firm called, It Figures Accounting Services (Pty) Ltd, operating from Paardevlei in Somerset West. As an Accountant, he acquired membership through The Institute of Accounting and Commerce (IAC), of which he is currently serving a second term as President of the Institution. His passion includes giving back to the community and as a result he serves as director on non-profits named Biblionef (SA), Agri-Vision Foundation and Heartlands.
Monica Buitendag
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Monica holds a BA Human Science Honours degree in Industrial Sociology. She has worked for 28 years in Child Care and has previously headed up a paediatric AIDS hospice for a national NGO in Child Care which after it closed down started Heartlands Baby Sanctuary in 2015.
Monica hopes that for some more years she will be able to reach out to a cry for help, to little children in distress and in need of urgent care and that she together with a wonderful dedicated team, will continue to contribute to their current mission: “it is every child’s birth right to belong”.
Ulen Afrika
Social Worker and Residential and Volunteer Coordinator
Ulen Afrika is a qualified and registered Social Worker with the South African Council for Social Service Professions. She holds a BA Hons degree in Social Work from Stellenbosch University and has been employed at Heartlands Baby Sanctuary since April 2020.
Her passion lies in helping vulnerable children, and at Heartlands, she is responsible for providing psychosocial services to the children in Heartlands care. Additionally, she oversees the organization’s volunteer program, screening and recruiting suitable individuals to volunteer at Heartlands.
She also coordinates the residential project, including the developmental and healthcare programs.