Babies won’t be kept at planned home with baby safe
The home, where mothers can leave their unwanted babies, will only be a temporary solution.
A home for unwanted babies in Kempton Park will only be a temporary solution, after which the infants will be taken for medical evaluation and released for adoption.
This is, according to Life Link Pregnancy Crisis Centre founder and director Sharon Rushton, how the Jeremiah’s Hope Baby Safe project would work.
Express reported last week that Rushton hoped to raise enough funds to buy a house, which would be used as a safe alternative for women to leave their unwanted babies.
The project fell through in 2016 when the property the crisis centre planned to buy became unavailable.
“We have been trying since to obtain a space from where we can run the project,” Rushton told Express at the time, adding that R600 000 had already been pledged to the project.
“Jeremiah’s Hope will be a short-term emergency centre for abandoned babies,” Rushton explained, after social media users wondered what would happen to the babies.
“Once the babies are left in the baby safe, they will be taken for a medical evaluation. After this, they will be transferred to a place of safety where they will be released for adoption.”
Ideally, Rushton would like the home to also offer life skills development to mothers who visit the centre, as well as antenatal and child care classes.
A fund-raising event for the cause will be held at God’s Way Ministries at 5 Rydel Road in Boksburg on May 4 at 2pm. Tickets are R150 per person along with a toiletry item for a mother or baby.
“The fund-raising event promises to be filled with fun, lots of prizes, raffles, stalls, refreshments and information on the project,” Rushton said.
Contact her on 082 724 3610 for tickets or more information.
Alternatively, the centre is also in need of donations, such as clothing (0-12 months), toiletries, nappies, toiletries for moms and formula. Readers who wish to make a donation can contact Rushton or deliver it to the centre at 19 Maxwell Street. Donations must be clearly marked for Life Link/Jeremiah’s Hope.
