Impilo hopes to give abandoned children a second chance

Impilo Child Protection and Adoption Services has collected 3 500 Babygros to create awareness about the enormity of abandoned children in South Africa.

The organisation launched its Born to Make a Difference campaign on 13 June in Fairvale to increase awareness and support and build a dynamic network to help provide some of these children with a full and productive life.

According to statistics presented at the launch, an estimated 3 500 babies are abandoned each year in South Africa – this figure only includes survivors. Macsteel’s group corporate social responsibility manager Kim Allan said the campaign aims to draw attention to this horrendous fact and this relates to survivors only.

Allan said welfare is one of the company’s key corporate social responsibility initiatives (CSI) and Macsteel’s support of Impilo (one of several companies they support) forms part of that. This is closely aligned to the company’s CSI strategic approach to ensure that its corporate responsibility initiatives have a strong corporate citizenship component.

“Impilo exists to give these children a chance at growing up and having a better life.

“The timing is fitting for the NGO to unveil its new campaign as June is Child Protection Month and it marks Youth Month. This cause resonated strongly with Macsteel and we’re gratified that we are able to provide support via an annual grant and sponsorship for this specific event.”

She added that there needs to be a larger focus on the cause of the abandonment of babies and children, especially in light of the proposed amendments to the Children’s Amendment Bill of 2018 which has received widespread attention and strong criticism from all quarters of child protection civil society sectors.

“The controversial changes were hastily pushed through without in-depth consultation with the adoption and child protection sectors and without due consideration of the impact on the vulnerable children the act is intended to protect.”

Allan suggested that, in the current format, the amendments will unequivocally scupper the already declining number of adoptable children who find their way to a loving, adoptive family, exacerbating South Africa’s ballooning crisis of abandoned and vulnerable children left to languish in adoption homes.

“We value the role that Impilo, and many other similar organisations are playing, and applaud them for their unrelenting commitment to abandoned children,” Allan concluded.

Related article:

https://northeasterntribune.co.za/224428/impilo-drums-up-support-for-children-during-christmas/