El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety’s afternoon staff, Amanda Edwards (left), Lumka Masonga, Beatrice Shabangu, Lulu Msuthu and founder Bertha Spies, welcomed the GCN team to the home, on Wednesday. The staff work around the clock looking after the 19 babies currently at the home.
Their little arms reached out and as soon as you picked them up they stopped crying and basked in the attention and love.
These were the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety in Primrose when the GCN team visited the home, on Wednesday, as part of the City News Caring for the Community project.
The home is currently caring for 19 babies, between the ages of one-week-old and two years old.
They all thrive on attention and the GCN team loved giving them the love they deserve.
We spent a very happy afternoon cuddling, playing and chatting to the little ones.
Each of us also ended up with one, two or even three “special” babies who seemed to ask for that little bit more from their chosen team member.
The home’s main objective and vision is to care for abandoned and/or unwanted babies as a place of safety.
Founder Bertha Spies told us that she wanted to create a place where the babies could find an environment of love, care and protection and where they could experience true motherly nourishment physically, spiritually and emotionally through the care of qualified caregivers.
Bertha added that it costs about R5 000 a month to take care of one baby and the home was always in need of Lactogen formula (one and two), nappies, purity and baby products.
If you would like to help the home, donations can be made into the following bank account: El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies, Standard Bank, Branch code 011-842, Account number 271802294, Swift Code SBZAZAJJ.
The day will be remembered by the GCN team for a very long time and we hope all the babies we met end up finding wonderful homes where they will be loved.
The GCN’s sports journalist, Puleng Sekabate, kisses one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
It was double trouble for the GCN’s editor, Melissa Hart, as she entertained not one but two babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
The GCN’s journalist, Leigh Hodgson, gives one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety a bottle after his bath.
The GCN’s sports journalist, Puleng Sekabate, shows just how tiny a one-week-old baby’s hand is.
The GCN’s editor, Melissa Hart, comforts one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
Home founder Bertha Spies spends some quality time with one of “her” babies.
Beatrice Shabangu gives one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety an afternoon bath.
Baby foot.
Bath time.
The GCN’s editor, Melissa Hart, comforts one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
The GCN’s sports journalist, Puleng Sekabate, kisses one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
The GCN’s sports journalist, Puleng Sekabate, kisses one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
The GCN’s journalist, Leigh Hodgson, gives one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety some attention.
Home founder Bertha Spies spends some quality time with one of “her” babies.
Holding hands.
Holding hands.
Home founder Bertha Spies spends some quality time with one of “her” babies.
The GCN’s editor, Melissa Hart, comforts two of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
Twins holding hands.
Beatrice Shabangu gives one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety an afternoon bath.
The GCN’s sports journalist, Puleng Sekabate, kisses one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
The GCN’s journalist, Leigh Hodgson, gives one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety a bottle after his bath.
The GCN’s editor, Melissa Hart, comforts one of the babies at the El-Shammah Home for Abandoned Babies and Place of Safety.
