The unlucky side of being Lucky
The Child Protection and Adoption Centre is looking for the parents of a young child estimated to be about six months old.
This little boy is so cute and precious, the mind boggles as to why he was left on the banks of the Jukskei River, wrapped in a yellow blanket with no one to love him.
The child has been named Gift Lucky Makolwa and, yes, in a very sad way, he is lucky. He is lucky that he was found, lucky to be alive and lucky to have a social worker who is trying her utmost best to reunite him with his family. However, I am disgusted by this boy’s parents … how could they leave a helpless baby alone?
These parents do not deserve to be reunited with their little angel. They deserve jail time.
Yes, poverty is rife and desperate people do desperate things – but there is never an excuse to dump a baby. If the parents did not want the child, they could have put him up for adoption, taken him to a clinic – done anything – except what they did.
The blame does not solely lie at the hands of the parents who dumped this little boy. More needs to be done to assist residents of Joburg who find themselves unable to find alternatives. Education is key and I do not believe expectant mothers are always educated about their options. Environment, culture and resources also play a huge role in situations such as this one – and government needs to come up with proactive solutions.
When we talk about Gift Lucky Makolwa, we need to remember that he is one of many children abandoned. Orphanages are overflowing and resources are scarce. It is time for us to stop being reactive and start being proactive in our responses. Surely there are solutions out there that no one has thought of? Surely we can put a stop to the abuse and neglect so many South African children face?
I don’t have the answers – but I do know that something needs to be done, and quickly.
Gift Lucky Makolwa is indeed lucky to be alive – but his life is going to be hard, and that, as common as it is for so many, does not seem fair.
Given the resources, what solutions would you implement to put an end to the abandonment and dumping of children in Joburg? Send your comments via WhatsApp to 079 439 5345.
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