Door of Hope acts as a temporary home for abandoned babies before they go to their new families or are reunited with their parents; the joy they feel is deeply moving.
Johannesburg, South Africa (26 October 2021) – Door of Hope takes in abandoned babies in the Johannesburg area. Since being founded in 1999, they have saved nearly 2000 babies.
The organisation has a ‘baby box’ where people can safely and anonymously leave unwanted babies; this option is much safer than the alternative. Babies are also brought to them from police stations and hospitals.
The faith-based organisation, which opened its ‘Baby Box’ in 1999, runs three care houses with facilities for caring for 72 abandoned babies at any one time and 1 children’s village for babies who are unadoptable or need medium to long term permanent care. Before the pandemic, an average of 9 babies would come to Door of Hope.
Speaking to Nadene Grabham from Door of Hope, we learned what the pandemic has meant for the organisation.
“This year so far we have received 41 babies of which 9 were abandoned babies and 13 were safely relinquished in our baby saver. We are in the process of planning to put up another saver soon and via Baby Savers SA proposing to parliament to legalise safe relinquishment though a baby saver. We are still seeing far to many sad stories about babies being found abandoned.”
In 2019, we shared the most heartwarming story from Door of Hope. They had photographed a little girl waiting on her new family. The little lady has had a wonderful time with her family. We asked the team for an update about the little girl that went viral. Keeping her privacy intact, they could share that she loves her family dearly.
“Baby girl has settled into her family very well. Her big brother is her hero, she is daddy’s girl and mommy’s little angle and of course everyone adores her. They were definitely made for each other!”
There are so many tales like the one we shared before and so many people out there who are opening their hearts and homes to these beautiful abandoned babies. Nadene shared that so many of the babies and toddlers bond with their future parents that when the day arrives for them to go home, they wait in anticipation at the window.
“I have to add a live story that we experienced this week. We have a little girl who has been on a good few video calls with her forever mommy, before mommy came to fetch her. On the first day mommy came to visit, our little girl saw mommy and literally ran and jumped into mommies arms. Everyone cried from joy”
We asked Nadene how the public could support this incredible initiative. She shares that they currently have 49 babies in their care and a few more on the way from local hospitals.
“As always our needs are Nan Optipro formula and nappies and a plea to the public to share information on social media platforms about what we do, our baby saver, baby savers all over South Africa as well as Crisis Pregnancy centres in South Africa. Our information on www.doorofhope.co.za and information on savers and crisis pregnancy www.babysaverssa.co.za”
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