AFTER years of opening its doors to vulnerable babies, the Ray of Hope Babies Home has welcomed a new crisis mom who says her focus will be on strengthening community support and creating a warm, family-centred environment for the children in its care.

Also read: 16 years of loving abandoned babies

Nadia van Niekerk officially stepped into the role following the retirement of long-serving crisis mom Rachel Uys, who dedicated 16 years to the Durban home.

Van Niekerk said one of her immediate priorities is increasing awareness of the home and building stronger ties with the Durban community.

“We rely on the support of the community in order to provide the best care and opportunities for the children,” she said. “More exposure means our message reaches more people who might want to get involved, which directly benefits the babies.”

Fundraising, she added, will also be a major focus to help keep the home running for many more years.
For Van Niekerk, taking on the role feels like something she spoke into existence years ago.

Living my dream
“I remember being a young girl, probably not even in high school yet, saying that one day I will have my own children’s home and animal rescue centre,” she said. “But I don’t recall anything influencing me to state that. Looking back, it is almost as if I spoke into my future.”

She added that the meaning behind her name makes the role even more meaningful.
“My name, Nadia, means hope, and my motto in life has always been to inspire hope wherever I go. And here I am today, managing a babies’ home called ‘Ray of Hope’,” she said.

Her path into childcare deepened after her own experience with infertility and pregnancy loss. In 2023, she became a crisis mom and cared for the first baby ever placed with her — a little boy who would later become her adopted son.

“I instantly knew this was not a temporary care situation. This baby was meant to be mine,” she said.
After that, Van Niekerk cared for several babies in short-term placements while also welcoming a biological daughter, whom she describes as a sister for her son.

One of the babies previously placed in her temporary care was later moved to Ray of Hope, which is how she first became connected to the home.

“When one of the volunteers approached me for my CV, I knew God was preparing me for this specific calling,” she said.

Van Niekerk said she hopes to build on the strong foundation already in place while ensuring the home feels more like a family environment than an institution.

“I would like for the home to run as exactly that … a home, filled with warmth, family and people who love each other,” she said.

Among the challenges she faces is managing the transition for staff and children, as babies need to be legally transferred into her care while new routines and systems are introduced.

“By always keeping the welfare of the children at the centre of everything we do,” she said, “we can navigate the changes together.”

Van Niekerk said her greatest hope is to see more babies placed in permanent homes sooner.
“As much as it is hard to say goodbye, the babies deserve a permanent, loving family of their own,” she said.

She also plans to introduce a baby saver box at the home to provide mothers in crisis with a safe alternative to abandonment. In addition, she hopes to expand support services for the children through partnerships with therapists, dieticians and other specialists.

Van Niekerk has called on the public and businesses to support the home through donations, volunteering and monthly contributions.

“These babies and toddlers had no power over the start to their lives, but we have the power to ensure that they have a bright future,” she said.

Contact Van Niekerk on 071 311 2615 to get involved.

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