New BeginningZ – haven for unwanted babies
“First, we always encourage mothers to speak to someone and ask for assistance. This could be at their local clinic, hospital or welfare offices or even at their church.”
The recent discovery of foetuses in the east of Pretoria has had organisations appealing to mothers to consider giving their babies up, instead of dumping them.
The latest foetus was found in a dustbin in Bailey’s Muckleneuk on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said around 10:58, a recycler was going through bins in Justice Mohamed Street looking for food when he discovered the foetus.
A week ago, rubbish collectors found another foetus dumped in a bucket at the Skierlik informal settlement east of Pretoria.
A non-profit organisation, News BeginningZ that deals with child welfare, has called on mothers to consider giving their unwanted babies up for adoption.
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The NGO focuses on orphans and vulnerable children with one of their main focus points being abandoned and abused babies and toddlers. To date, they have managed to save the lives of 63 babies through the baby wall.
“First, we always encourage mothers to speak to someone and ask for assistance. This could be at their local clinic, hospital or welfare offices or even at their church,” said spokesperson Tahiyya Hassim.
“We encourage them to speak to qualified service professionals who are able to guide them legally and provide the necessary psycho-social, emotional support and give them the right advice. Mothers cannot make informed decisions without the necessary education and information.”
Hassim said they have realised that many desperate mothers did try and speak to social workers and hospital staff but there was a huge amount of judgement and disgust they faced when trying to get the much-needed help and guidance.
She said many women came to the organisation in tears after being told that they were sinful and would be punished for “throwing their baby away” as adoption is not seen as a positive lifesaving option for unwanted babies.
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“It is this negative connotation to adoption that is causing so many little innocent babies to die alone and unwanted out in the cold on the streets and in dustbins.”
Part of the services offered by the organisation is a “baby wall” where desperate mothers, as an absolute last resort, can leave their unwanted babies safely and anonymously.
Two of these can be found in Sunnyside.
“We also provide counselling services to mothers in crisis pregnancies and, where possible, try to guide them but also educate them on the different options available to them, their families and their baby,” Hassim said.
“We never judge. We don’t feel it is our right or our place as we are not experiencing the heartache and trauma of that mother in that crisis pregnancy.”
She said there were many success stories to be told about the babies that were left in their care and given a chance at life.
“Often TOP’s (termination of pregnancy) or ‘botched abortions’ who are put in our baby walls have had huge medical challenges, but overcome those obstacles with the help of our team and then years later, go on to be adopted either locally, nationally or even internationally and are all thriving and doing exceptionally well,” said Hassim.
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“We are still invited to many of their birthday parties each year, and just to celebrate their lives and their unique special qualities that could all have been lost if they had died alone and cold on the streets or in a dustbin or in a toilet.
“Unfortunately, only one out three babies that are abandoned are found alive. Can you imagine how many more success stories and beautiful life stories we could have if only we could help more mothers make the right decisions and take the right actions.”
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