A newborn girl was given a chance at life after she was placed in the Helderberg Baby Saver at the weekend – the second cherub for this year and the 12th since the establishment of the device in Somerset West in 2014.
The infant, known as Baby Violet, rounded off the dozen for the innovative safe, founded as a means to offer desperate mothers or parents an alternative to simply discarding their offspring.
The facility, a special safe built into the side wall of the Choices Crisis Pregnancy Centre in Schapenberg Road, acts as a last port of call for help and hope, enabling the safe abandonment of an unwanted baby.
When a baby is placed in the safe an alarm is triggered and appointed respondents, including security officers and emergency personnel, collect the infant. The response is linked to child protection organisation Wandisa, which sees to the statutory processes.
Since the facility’s launch 12 babies have been safely relinquished through it – the first six over a period of eight years, the last six placed over the last 11 months.
It was launched in August 2014 and used for the first time in October 2015, when Baby Ayabonga was placed in the special safe (“Baby named,” DistrictMail, 15 October 2015).
The success story was followed by another in 2017, two in 2018, one in 2019 and one in 2021. Four babies were placed in the safe last year: Baby Ava, Baby Ruby, Baby Nathan and Baby Thabo. Baby Adam was placed in the facility early last month (“New year sees another baby saved”, 11 January).
According to a statement issued by the Helderberg Baby Saver, respondents were alerted to “clearly loved” Baby Violet’s placement in the safe last week. An exact date couldn’t be provided for the safety of the parents. “She was well dressed, healthy and clean. Three of the Helderberg Baby Saver first-responder team – Amanda-Lea Jones, Sophia Warner and Karen Bufé – were on the scene within minutes and accompanied the ambulance to Helderberg Hospital and kept baby Violet company while she was admitted.”
Saver founder Sandy Immelman said: “We are very grateful that this precious little girl was safely relinquished, and not just abandoned. Her mother or parents made a brave decision for her future well-being.
“It is clear that the need for savers is escalating and we encourage everyone to join Baby Savers South Africa in the fight to have savers legalised in order to save these little lives.”
- Anyone with information pertaining to Baby Violet is asked to phone Renate Malan of Wandisa on 079 063 4144 or 021 852 8025.
- For more information visit babysaver.co.za or babysaverssa.co.za.
