Drop box for babies ensures the right to life
At this stage, Ramona has eight children in her care at The Door of Care and Safety.
Abandoning a newborn baby is a criminal offence. However, Randfontein has a facility where new mothers who are unable to care for their babies can surrender them in a safe way without fear of prosecution.
Ramona van der Heever, 54, one of the founders of the Door of Care and Safety, told the Herald they were able to open the facility officially on 7 October 2016 after it had taken about a year for her and her husband and co-founder Piet to get all the official paperwork approved.
This place of safety aims to take in and assist abandoned, abused and orphaned babies and children from any environment that poses a threat to their well-being, in cooperation with other welfare institutions and the Children’s Court.
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At this stage, Ramona has eight children in her care at The Door of Care and Safety. Their ages range from one and a half to six years old. “This has always been my dream,” she said.
Ramona provides for these eight children out of her and her husband’s own pockets. They sometimes get donations, and receive a Sassa grant for the one six-year-old boy, which she uses to pay his school fees.
When the Herald visited the home, it was clear that the children are extremely disciplined and well looked after. They were happy and are the most beautiful children. The rooms in the home are nicely decorated, and Ramona has made provision for the babies that could possibly be dropped off. Ramona has not yet received a baby in the drop box.
Inside Ramona’s room, there is a monitor that is linked to a camera with a view of the property, especially the drop box. Ramona explained that when a baby is placed in their drop box, she and her care-workers – Mienah Claasen and Telma Ricardo José – will receive an electronic signal alerting them to the baby’s presence in the box. They then take the baby into the home and the anonymity of the mother is respected and ensured.
There is a pamphlet in the drop box for the mother/ parents to take and read.
The children remain in her care until either the mother or both parents can provide a good home for them. If, for example, the mother is a drug addict and undergoes rehabilitation, there is a possibility that she could be reunited with her child, but ultimately that is for the Children’s Court to decide. Some of the babies are adopted, but this process is handled by welfare organisations.
Ramona said she is happy that she got permission from the Rand West Local Municipality to put up her posters over or next to the abortion clinic posters.
For more information or donations, please contact Ramona on 082 464 9788.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za  (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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