THERE were tears of joy last week as the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) officially handed over the keys of a vehicle to Jo Teunissen of The Baby Home Durban North.

The Baby Home Durban North helps provide love, care and a safe environment for vulnerable and abandoned babies.

For the last year, Teunissen has had to manage running errands for the home and travelling to and from court and hospital using just a family car.

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“For quite some time, we’ve been managing with just a family car – constantly juggling car seats, packing things around the kids, and trying to make everything fit. It’s been challenging, especially when we had multiple trips to make, whether it was to court or the hospital. The new vehicle has completely transformed that. We no longer have to juggle car seats or sort out complicated logistics just to make sure everyone gets where they need to be safely and on time.

“I stand here today with a heart full of gratitude, and I express my sincerest thanks to the South African Charitable Muslim Trust for their incredibly generous donation. This has truly been a game-changer for us, and I can’t overstate how much of a difference it has made already. When it comes to court and hospital visits, which are such an important part of what we do, this vehicle has made the process so much smoother. Instead of stressing about making multiple trips, we’re now able to get everyone where they need to be quickly and efficiently,” she said.

Teunissen added that the vehicle has also helped with the home’s weekly food-donation collections.

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“I used to joke that I was getting pretty good at driving with groceries packed around me and bags on my lap and sometimes even under my feet! But thanks to the new vehicle, those days are behind us. We can now collect everything in one go, safely and comfortably,” she said.

Farouk Bayat from the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) praised the work that the home is doing.

“We wanted to show that we, as a community, appreciate what The Baby Home is doing. The work the home is doing and has done has been incredible,” he said.

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