Edith Benson Babies’ Home reopens five years after fire
The handover of the keys for the newly rebuilt Edith Benson Babies’ Home by the chairperson of the Sibaya Community Trust marked a new chapter in working towards the well-being of vulnerable babies by creating a safe and nurturing environment for them.
FIVE years after a fire that gutted the Edith Benson Babies’ Home in Sherwood, Sibaya Community Trust, together with Child Welfare Durban and District, reopened the newly rebuilt establishment. Early in 2018, a fire broke out at the Edith Benson Children’s Home, destroying the wing that housed the babies.
The handover of Edith Benson Babies’ Home by founder and chairperson of Sibaya Community Trust, Vivian Reddy, and South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, on Friday, December 1, marked a new chapter in Sibaya’s commitment to safeguarding the well-being of vulnerable babies.
In her address, Zulu thanked Reddy and the Board of Sibaya Community Trust for supporting the home that would provide love, care and support to children in need and enable them to reach their full potential. “In the words of the Durban Child Welfare Society, they aim to give childhood back to children, and this lives up to their belief that it takes a village to raise a child,” she said.
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“As government, we understand that times are hard and the economy is not doing so well. At times like these, most business people worry more about the financial bottom line. It is therefore heartwarming to see acts of kindness and generosity from progressive business people like Vivian Reddy, who not only worry about the bottom line but also the state and well-being of communities in which they are doing business.”
Reddy said the establishment of the home was a testament to the collective determination to create a safe and nurturing environment for babies who had been deprived of the love and care every child deserves.
“The home is a beacon of hope for innocent souls who have endured neglect and mistreatment, offering them a chance to thrive and flourish in a setting filled with compassion and support,” Reddy said, adding that the need for such a home arose from the unfortunate reality of the countless babies in our society who are without loving and stable family environments.
“Many of them have been abandoned or subjected to abuse, leaving them in desperate need of protection and care. This home stands as a refuge for these precious little ones, providing a haven where they can experience the warmth of a loving embrace and the security of a nurturing environment.”
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The opening of the home serves as a call to action for the entire community. Reddy said it was an invitation to stand in solidarity with innocent babies, to become advocates for their well-being and to contribute to the nurturing and supportive environment that will enable them to flourish. “Whether through financial support, volunteerism or the simple act of sharing our time and compassion, each of us has the power to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children.”
Desmond Msomi, president of Child Welfare, spoke about the 60-year history of Edith Benson Babies’ Home and of the fire that gutted the premises in 2018. He thanked Reddy and Sibaya Community Trust for their financial support in getting the new building off the ground and completed, and he said more assistance from sponsors is required.
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