Box for abandoned babies in the north
Once the mother closes the door with the baby inside, a magnet activates on the outside and she cannot open it again.
A caring mother from the north of Pretoria needs financial help with putting up a so-called ‘baby drop-off box’ in Wolmer.
Here mothers, who had unwanted children, can safely place their unwanted babies outside the Spreading the Love house instead of simply abandoning them somewhere.
Lizelle Oosthuizen-Anderka took it upon herself to start this rescue home or place of safety for unwanted, underprivileged or abandoned children and families.
“Poverty is a harsh reality here in Wolmer,” she told Rekord.
“I started out by making up and delivering food parcels to people I knew were having a tough time.
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“However, the more I got into things, I saw how big the problem had become. Our aim became to provide nutritious food to anyone who is hungry, young and old, whether they are part of a struggling household or are homeless, sick or vulnerable.”
The issue, which shocked Lizelle the most, was how many children were abandoned at police stations. This was because their parents were in jail; or children that had prostitute mothers; or children from drug-fuelled homes.
“These children can’t be placed into foster care or the adoption system because their parents must give their permission. Most of the time, the parents can’t even be found.”
After three babies were found abandoned in the Wolmer area in less than a month, Lizelle decided to do something.
“It was then that I thought of providing the area with a ‘baby drop-off box’, where could safely place unwanted children,” Lizelle said.
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“I am absolutely not encouraging abandonment, but this is reality. At least this way, we might still be able to save the child’s life.”
According to Lizelle, the box is “big” and “not easily missed”.
“It’s a steel safe built into a double-thick brick wall of 33×2.5 metres. The box has a front and back door.”
The mother of the abandoned baby can safely place the baby into the box by opening the front door. The front door will be open 24 hours a day. Once the mother closes the door with the baby inside, a magnet activates on the outside and she cannot open it again.
The baby is placed on a small mattress with a small sensor on the inside. The mattress also has a built-in ultraviolet light that will keep the baby warm until he or she is removed from the box.
As soon as the ultraviolet light switches on, a silent alarm will alert the baby-safe manager on the inside of the house, and the baby can safely be collected.
After the baby is removed from the back door of the box, the magnet releases again. Now another mother would be able to place her baby in the box from the outside.
According to South African law, abandoning your child without recourse, can be regarded as attempted murder, or murder if the child dies.
“However, by placing the baby in the baby box, the mother is not abandoning her baby without recourse,” said Lizelle. “Instead she is handing over the baby to a state institution and the baby will be eligible for adoption in six weeks.”
Lizelle said the drop-off box will be finished somewhere by the end of August. The NPO is, however, also planning on building another one in Danville in the near future.
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Currently, Spreading the Love NPO looks after 43 babies; 39 toddlers; seven children between the age of seven and 15; 16 children with disabilities that require diapers and nutritional supplements; 58 needy families and 91 needy elderly individuals that require diapers, food and other basic essentials.
If you would like to make a financial donation, please feel free to visit the Spreading the Love NPO Facebook page here (https://www.facebook.com/spreadingthelovealways/), or e-mail Lizelle at spreadingthelove.always@gmail.com.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
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