MOKOPANE – Driven by a desire to positively impact the lives of others, a local woman has taken up her childhood knitting skills to create baby booties, outfits and blankets for new mothers in need during the winter.
Tess Maritz, a member of Mokopane’s crochet group, has also joined the Baby Box Project.
“I was sitting at home one morning knitting baby booties and wondered who I was knitting them for,” Tess explained. “I prayed and received a message from the Lord saying ‘Baby Box.’ After a quick Google search, I found a Baby Box Charity based in Gauteng that distributes items all over. When I called and asked if they needed baby outfits, the lady said they were exactly what they were looking for – they didn’t have enough winter outfits for the babies.”
Eager to help, Tess rallied the ladies in her knitting group to join the cause.
“The response was immediate and overwhelming,” she said. “We received three boxes full of knitted baby booties, beanies, and outfits, which we donated to the Baby Box Project.”
The Baby Box Project, initiated in 2014, aims to provide hope to new, impoverished mothers.
Statistics indicate that a vulnerable mother is most likely to abandon her baby within the first six days after birth.
The Baby Box Project offers support and kindness during this critical time. Last year alone, the charity assisted over 43 000 new mothers, helping them start their journey into motherhood with renewed courage and commitment.
Each Baby Box contains a reusable bag filled with essentials such as a baby blanket, Babygro, seasonal outfit, vests, jersey, socks and beanie set, face cloth, baby wipes, Vaseline, baby soap, maternity sanitary pads, nappies, water, and a personal note of encouragement.
To support the Baby Box Project, visit their website at www.babyboxproject.co.za or e-mail them at info@babyboxproject.co.za.
Tess expressed her gratitude to all the women who helped knit or crochet baby items and extended her thanks to AutoZone for assisting with the transport of the donations to the charity.
