Anathi – God is with us.

For a baby who took her first breaths on a pavement in the Somerset West CBD, surrounded by strangers who became her guardian angels, the name could not be more fitting.

Just over a week after that dramatic roadside delivery, baby Anathi and her mother Pumeza Mbengo returned to the Atlas Finance team to say thank you – to the people, especially Geneva Erasmus, who stepped in when it mattered most.

Dramatic delivery

Anathi was born on the morning of Tuesday 29 September, after her mother had gone into labour getting out of a taxi in the CBD. Geneva, who was among those who rushed to help, took charge of the delivery – warming, wrapping and stimulating the newborn until she cried – before a private ambulance arrived to transport mother and baby to hospital.

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The 38-year-old mother from Lwandle popped into Atlas Finance on Thursday 8 October to introduce baby Anathi to the team and express her gratitude, showing both she and her daughter were healthy and doing well following the unexpected delivery. She had earlier made her way to Home Affairs to register her baby’s birth. Pumeza said the name holds a deep meaning for her family: “Just as God was with us during her birth, God is with us always.”

Emotional reunion

The reunion was deeply moving for the entire Atlas Finance team, but for Geneva the moment carried even greater weight – the circumstances of Anathi’s birth, she believes, were nothing short of divine.

“I am just overwhelmed with gratitude for Geneva, for stepping in and helping me at such an unexpected and overwhelming moment,” Pumeza shared.

She recalled feeling scared as she awaited Anathi’s arrival, the fear of not knowing what to do calmed only by Geneva’s kindness, courage and support.

Against the odds

Pumeza shared that Anathi was born premature, at a gestational age of seven months and weighing 1.9kg. However, they were discharged from hospital three days after her arrival, and both are healthy and doing well.

“I wanted to thank everyone who helped us personally. I will bring Anathi to visit Geneva and the Atlas Finance team occasionally because they will always be a special part of our story,” said Pumeza, who is now a mom of three with her new addition.

‘Biggest blessing’

Atlas Finance gifted baby necessities worth R1 000 to the doting mother, who had not prepared for her baby’s arrival and was over the moon with the donation. Geneva, who bought everything at Shoprite in Somerset West, said an emotional Pumeza expressed her elation and gratitude for what she called her biggest blessing.