Biography

Barbara Hill began her outreach work in Johannesburg in the 1990s while working for a nonprofit to provide life skills training to disadvantaged individuals. The increasing number of requests from government institutions seeking assistance for street children and sex workers who wanted to be rehabilitated, had her at a loss. The organization she worked for didn’t offer programs for these individuals, and she was unable to find another organization assisting this population. Feeling called to address this gap, she left her job and founded Time for Change in 2004 with a vision to alleviate the plight of street children and sex workers. She believed strongly that the key to helping these individuals transform their lives was through gainful employment – and time has proved her right. Time for Change began by establishing a bakery where former sex workers could gain vocational training and employment. The bakery was so successful that they were able to expand, opening more bakeries and extending their programs to include educational support, vocational training, and temporary housing to sex workers and street children desiring to change their lives. 

Since 2004, Time for Change has successful assisted more than 1,000 sex workers and street children to continue their education and/or find gainful employment. In addition to now running 5 bakeries, other successful programs include a sewing co-operative and a nursing assistance program.