Just In Time Baby Sanctuary finds a new home in Roodepoort

A home is not defined by four walls, but by the people and love within them. Just In Time Baby Sanctuary has been putting their entire hearts into making their house a home for children in need since 2016.

Before Georgina Caetano founded this non-profit organisation (NPO), she worked closely with various charities throughout the West Rand. The longer she worked with the charities, the more she heard about the number of child abandonment cases and the more she saw the need for a place of safety for children. She knew she wanted to start a safe house for children, and that is exactly what she did, naming it after her son. Georgina’s 17-year-old son, Justin, was tragically killed in a car accident, so she split his first name and christened her NPO Just In Time, in his honour.

The sanctuary has just recently moved to Discovery, after spending more than five happy years in Randfontein, and since their inception, they have provided a loving home to 40 children. Currently, Just In Time cares for eight adorable little souls between the ages of one and five years old; four of whom are in foster care and four of whom are in Georgina’s care for temporary safety.

“One of our main goals is to create a safe and homely environment. We don’t want it to feel like an institution. These children are smart, they know I am not their ‘tummy mommy’; I’m just the mom that looks after them until they will be safe with their families again,” said Georgina.

Since moving to Roodepoort, Georgina described a new sense of relaxation that has come over her, one that she can also see in the children. The sanctuary identified Roodepoort as their new home for a few reasons, one of the main ones being that the area doesn’t have a baby box. So, after getting permission from their new landlord, Just In Time can confirm that their property will be the site of Roodepoort’s first baby box.

“There are so many desperate, angry, terrified, or young mothers who don’t know what to do or how to tell their families they are pregnant. We by no means support abandonment, but we will condone safe abandonment. If these mothers have no other choice, it is better that they leave their babies somewhere they can be taken care of,” the house mother continued.

The baby box will be completely anonymous and as soon as a baby is dropped off, an alarm will go off inside the house to notify the staff as well as in the offices of a security company and an emergency services provider. The desperate mother can leave their baby in the baby box, someone will go outside to fetch the little one and paramedics will come to assess the child and determine any health needs. The security company will come out as well, just to check that everything is okay and there are no problems. The mother will not have to worry about being identified.

Just In Time will also do everything they can to support mothers in need, so if there is a mother who doesn’t have the necessities for a baby, they are welcome to phone the sanctuary and a hamper will be put together for them.

The baby will be taken to a separate little cottage on the property where all the babies who are in emergency safety will be staying. The portion of the sanctuary where the babies will be cared for will be known as Ikhaya Lami, which means ‘My Home’ in Zulu.

Their current priorities are finding anyone who can help them manufacture the baby box, as well as help with educating the little ones. The children living in the sanctuary all start school at two years old, so they are looking for a nursery school or generous community member who may be willing to help with sponsorship for the schooling of five of their toddlers.

As soon as the baby box is functional, the Record will post an update with more information. To help with their needs or to get in contact with Just In Time visit www.justintime.org.za, email info@justintime.org.za or call 062 045 8219.