Media Release

As the world observes Global Ethics Day under the theme ‘Ethics Re-envisioned’, Girls and Boys Town SA (GBTSA) proudly join this global conversation for change.

Hosted annually by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Global Ethics Day invites institutions and individuals worldwide to reimagine the role of ethics in shaping a more compassionate and accountable world.

For GBTSA, the commemoration is both a reflection and a commitment to continue building public trust, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that the values guiding its work with vulnerable youth are transparent and deeply humane.

“Ethics for us are not just spoken values; they are lived principles,” said Karen Farred, CEO of Girls and Boys Town South Africa.

“True ethics is not just about doing what’s right when others are watching but it’s about choosing integrity even when no one is looking. At GBTSA, ethical leadership begins with empathy, honesty, and the courage to reflect,” says Farred.

As part of its ongoing governance-strengthening agenda, the organisation initiated  an Ethics Integrity Programme in July 2025.  Farred explains that considering GBTSA’s primary beneficiaries – the youth, and the key stakeholders including fragile communities the youth come from and GBTSA donors, continually building the organisation’s ethical leadership, consistency in decision-making, and emotional accountability across all levels of staff is vital.

Girls and Boys Town South Africa has been a sanctuary for children facing unimaginable hardship for over six decades, and as part of its commitment to ethics, GBTSA looks inward and outward to foster environments where dignity, respect, and moral responsibility guide how they care for every young life entrusted to them.

This programme has shown GBTSA’s proactive approach in rebuilding the public’s confidence, compassion, accountability, and ensuring transparency remain at the heart of everything it does as an organisation.

“As we join the world in re-envisioning ethics, we’re not only rebuilding trust with everyone that closely matters but also reshaping the moral foundations that guide how we care for and uplift our children, our staff, and our communities more broadly.” Farred added.

This Global Ethics Day, GBTSA stands united with institutions around the world to reflect, reimagine, and reaffirm the values that sustain humanity. Because at the core of ethical practice lies a simple truth to keep doing what is right, even when no one is watching.

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About Girls and Boys Town South Africa

Healing Heartbroken Children with Compassion and Care

Since 1958, Girls and Boys Town South Africa has been a sanctuary of healing heartbroken children. Our mission is to mend the invisible wounds of those who have faced unimaginable challenges, guiding them towards a future filled with promise and possibility.

Imagine a child whose laughter has been stifled by hardship and loss. At Girls and Boys Town South Africa we embrace these children with open arms, offering them more than just a place to stay—we give them a chance to reclaim their joy, rediscover their inner strength, and build a future they can be proud of.

Issued on behalf of AWARE.org by Meropa Communications. For further information, please contact: Tshilidzi Matidza, +27763061197, tshilidzim@meropa.co.za