Upper Highway Baby Home ‘saves futures’ through its programme

MOTIVATED by their passion to provide a shelter for abandoned babies and assist young mothers, the Upper Highway Baby Home (UHBH) will be accommodating up to 12 babies, on a boarding basis, through their Saving Futures programme.

The initiative provides young mums, who are still in school, with the opportunity to complete their studies with the assurance that their child is being cared for.

ALSO READ: Summerveld couple lend their support to abandoned baby crisis

Situated in the heart of Summerveld, the baby home was started by Gary and Kerry Stanton and has been in operation since January 2019.

The home cares for vulnerable and abandoned babies who need somewhere safe to stay and be loved and grow until they join their forever families or are reunited with their parents.

“We have also been crisis parents during this time providing emergency care as and when needed. We have been supporting babies and young moms in surrounding communities who need our support as well.

  “While our outreach into the community focuses on young mothers who are still schooling, infant abandonments has really been an eye-opener. We soon realised we needed to do more to address the issues that cause baby abandonment,” said Kerry.

After research and speaking to the communities they serve, the couple discovered that about 3000 babies are abandoned in a year in South Africa.

According to Kerry, the 3000 reported are babies found either dead or alive.

“Of these 3000, two out of three are found dead. We also discovered that abandoned babies are from school-going girls who have either hidden their pregnancies and abandoned the babies or have been forced to abandon the child if they wish to continue going to school,” she said.

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After speaking to some of the girls, the Stantons were saddened that most school-going young girls who are pregnant have to choose between finishing school or keeping their child. Saving Futures is open to school-going girls who have become pregnant and need support.

This programme allows weekly boarding for newborns to two-year-old babies allowing the moms to concentrate on schoolwork during the week and on weekends the babies will be home with mom.

“The young girls will not have to pay anything for the service. The will need to maintain school attendance and attend parenting programmes that we will provide as well as much support for school that we can provide.

Kerry said this programme will ensure that the young girls have a future and will help with the abandonment of newborn babies.

“We intend starting with 12 newborns to board and we will continue to support 500 community babies as well. This is done in addition to the foster babies and babies in temporary care that live with us on a full-time basis. All of this is funding dependent and we continue to raise funds where we can by applying for funding and also issuing section 18 A certificates to donors who help us,” she added.

“We are desperate for funding for salaries for carers in the programme as well as social work required. There is also a great need for donations in kind and food and other basic supplies for the babies. We urgently need transport to fetch and carry the babies in the programme safely as well internal alterations to a double garage to provide a nursery for the 12 babies coming in as part of the programme,” said Kerry.

To assist with monetary contributions or donations, contact Kerry on 082 823 1844.  

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