Isithembiso Babies Home changes little lives for the better
Isithembiso Babies Home is a registered NPO providing a place of safety for babies from newborn to three years old who have been abandoned, abused, neglected or orphaned.
Once a child is placed with the home, he or she is treated by a range of specialists, including paediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dietitians.
“We nurture, love and help to develop their physical, emotional and cognitive abilities, while working with social services to place each precious child with a foster or adoptive home or reunite them with their families,” a spokesperson for the home said.
Since 2005, when the home opened, it has cared for more than 140 babies.
Isithembiso has a good relationship with the department of social development and is regularly visited by a social worker, who reviews its files, systems and caseload.
A maximum of 12 children are taken in at a time between two homes.
“The reason that we want only six babies in a home at a time is that, at the age of five, the brain has reached 90% of its adult size and the child’s emotional, behavioural, cognitive and social foundation is set for the rest of his or her life,” the spokesperson said.
“We are very much aware of the responsibility we have in taking care of these children at such an incredibly critical stage of their lives.”
The home is centred on being a family and a sufficient amount of one-onone time with each child is vital.
“We have incredible carers, who love these children as their own, and trustworthy volunteers, all of whom are vetted and go through a lengthy process to spend regular time with our babies.
“Our goal is to restore love, trust and security to these little ones who have had such traumatic starts to life; as well as physically rehabilitate the many who come into our home who are often far behind on developmental milestones due to malnourishment, neglect and abuse.”
In May 2019, another babies’ home closed down after 10 years and three of those babies were placed at Isithembiso.
“Due to the immense need in our city with two homes closing down in 2018, we decided as [board members and staff] to open another home.”
Isithembiso’s second home opened in August 2018.
Monthly expenses average R80,000R90,000, which includes rent of a safe home in a residential area, salaries, rates and the general running of the household (food, medicine, physiotherapy and occupational therapy for the children, blood tests for adoptions, and so on).
The organisation relies solely on donations, and is grateful to all individuals and companies who help it change young lives in the Bay and beyond.