Baby Box Project celebrates Johannesburg volunteers at Rosebank Union Church
Knitters and crocheters from across Johannesburg were celebrated for helping bring bags of love, essential supplies and hope to more than 17 000 mothers over 12 years.
The Baby Box Project celebrated the women whose time, generosity and hard work have helped bring comfort and hope to thousands of new mothers at a volunteers’ appreciation tea held at Rosebank Union Church on October 16.
Founded by Lena Clark, the Bryanston-based organisation supports mothers who give birth at government hospitals and clinics by providing bags filled with newborn clothing, essential supplies and handmade items donated by a network of women volunteers across Johannesburg.
Read more: Taking care of your newborn baby
The appreciation tea recognised the contribution of the volunteers, particularly the women who knit and crochet blankets, jerseys, beanies, booties and toys for the babies receiving the bags.
Clark said the initiative was founded in 2014 on the belief that mothers deserve support, particularly those who enter motherhood with limited resources and little assistance. “Many of these mothers have experienced a lot of heartache and rejection in their lives and here they are with a little baby and very little support,” Clark said. “Our idea is if we can visit them in the hospitals and give them a bag of new baby clothes and baby essentials, maybe it’ll just make their lives a little bit easier in caring for that newborn baby.
“Through the organisation, we have witnessed mothers who felt hopeless and abandoned having courage for this journey of motherhood.”
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She added that the organisation had encountered situations where mothers felt so overwhelmed that they considered leaving their babies at the hospital. With the project, she hopes that a small gesture of kindness can help mothers feel supported during a vulnerable period.
Clark added that this year alone, the project has distributed just over 1 000 bags to mothers, while its 12 years of operation have seen it reach more than 17 000 women.
Although the figures reflect the scale of the project, Clark emphasised that every bag represents an individual mother, baby and family whose lives the organisation hopes to touch. “The smallest gift can set something in motion in somebody else’s life. That is what’s so exciting, to see lives change, to see babies’ lives maybe rescued. That is why we keep on going,” she said.
As the project looks ahead, Clark expressed gratitude to everyone who has contributed to its work, whether through donations, volunteering or handmade creations.
She encouraged the community to follow The Baby Box Project on Facebook and Instagram, where the organisation shares stories about its work and the mothers it supports.
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