A mom who had nowhere left to turn made the toughest but bravest decision imaginable for the future of her baby.
Durban, South Africa (13 October 2025) – On Thursday morning last week, a ThembaYo baby safe saved a life. Inside it was a newborn baby girl, placed gently by her mother into the safety of the secure box.
It’s hard to imagine the weight of that decision.
Behind it is often guilt, pain and heartbreak, as well as a tremendous amount of courage. A mom who, soon after giving birth, chose love in the only way she felt she could. It is not an easy decision, and never one that is made lightly.
“We’re holding her in our hearts and hope she is safe, supported and surrounded with love,” Open Arms SA shared, about the recent little life that came into their care.
The baby safe gave this mom a chance to leave her baby somewhere warm, cared for, and protected.
A baby safe (sometimes called a baby saver) is a small, safe hatch built into a wall where a desperate mother can leave her baby safely. Moms who make use of the safe are asked to leave the baby’s clinic card along with any medication.
The baby saver is always available 24/7. The hatch is lined with soft bedding and triggers an alarm as soon as it’s opened. It alerts trained responders who rush to collect the child within minutes.
“Baby savers save lives. They give desperate moms a safe way to ensure their baby is not harmed. They give babies a future filled with love, safety and possibilities,” shares Open Arms SA.
It’s a last-resort option designed to make sure no baby is abandoned unsafely.
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“This beautiful little girl was welcomed with gentle hands, warmth and care the moment the saver opened. She is deeply loved already, by our team, by our community and by every person who believes no baby should be left without hope,” Open Arms SA shared.
The little one was immediately taken into gentle hands, wrapped up, and surrounded with care.
Open Arms SA, the organisation behind this safe, has been supporting desperate moms for ten years now. They have assisted hundreds of women and girls through pregnancy and birth via their online help desk, a judgement free zone that assists women in making the best possible decision for their babies.
Alongside the helpline, the organisation runs alongside the Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary, a safe place for babies and children.
For many, especially those who live in rural areas or those too afraid to seek help in person, organisations like these are there to help, offering around the clock support and backing in order to make the best possible decision for the baby.
In these situations, both baby and mom deserve hope, healing, and love.
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