GROWING UP ON THE FRINGE

The harsh reality is that 160 000 babies are living in what can only be described as appallingly challenging conditions in South Africa. It’s not what you would wish for your child, so here’s how you can help

According to the latest General Household Survey from Statistics SA, over two million children aged 0 to 17 are living in shantytowns, and eight percent of these children are infants. Owing to the fact that Gauteng has become the province offering the biggest possibility of paid wage, it has also turned into the area most dense with townships.

Any mom wants to give their baby the world. It comes down to that unbreakable bond that forms when a baby is still in the womb, the natural instinct to nurture and protect. In impoverished mothers this is no different, and it’s equally true of the residents of Munsieville, a multiracial informal settlement on the outskirts of Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg. Here, being a mother coincides with the constant battle of survival.

A STARK EXISTENCE

Because of rapid urbanisation and inadequate efforts made by the government to provide a solution, people end up having to establish themselves in areas such as Munsieville. Some do not have the financial means to afford basic accommodation and are forced to live in makeshift shelters, but the density and unsanitary living conditions of these sections pose multiple threats to many a little life. In some areas, access to clean water is often few and far apart. Waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery can be a death sentence to infants. When dehydration – which occurs at a much faster rate in infants than it does in adults – is paired with contaminated water, the loss of body fluids increases tenfold. Diseases such as diarrhoea can threaten a young life and in some cases, can be fatal.

Every winter thousands of people lose their homes, and some their lives, due to shack fires. This is because there is no electricity to be used as a light source and a method of cooking, and worsened by a lack of running water to drown potential

catastrophe. Unlike wood-lit fires, the chemicals that are used as a fuel source such as paraffin, petrol and fire lighting gel, are harder to extinguish when accidents happen. According to Patrick Kulati, the chief executive officer of the Household and Energy Safety Association of South Africa (HESASA), a Medical Research Council report estimated that each year 3.2 percent (1 600 000 people) of the country’s population will suffer from burn injuries, with the vast majority being from poorer communities. This high incidence is driven by negative impact factors such as haphazard urban development, overcrowding, inadequate electrification of homes in low income communities, paraffin and bio-mass fuels used as the primary energy sources, and lack of effective preventative and educational programmes.

A charity registered in the United Kingdom, Wales and South Africa by the name of Children of Fire has been assisting burn victims since 1996. This organisation, made up of volunteers, has taken it upon themselves to educate children about the benefits and dangers of fire. The organisation’s Wendy Tyler Ryan says the charity works to find such children and provide the most expert and appropriate medical skills and care to children who are injured. The trust also aims to reduce the incidence of these injuries by bringing about improvements in impoverished communities and educating the public about fire safety.

BUT WHAT IS BEING DONE TO MAKE IT BETTER?

Researchers have noted that one of the key priorities of the South African government’s new strategic vision for primary healthcare services is the scale- up of community based and preventative healthcare programmes. The use of Community Health Workers has been successful in improving the uptake of immunisations and breastfeeding. This in itself has reduced child morbidity and mortality. These Health Workers also assist in educating young mothers in proper baby care. The negative side to this is that the demand for medical assistance grossly outnumbers the hands available. As all mothers-to-be know, a balanced diet and consuming the necessary supplements help usher a healthy baby into the world. Unfortunately, multivitamins and concentrated soft gels are not financially viable to those living in peri-suburban areas.

During the prenatal phase folic acid plays a vital role in the prevention of birth defects such as spina bifida – a malformation of the vertebrae overlying the spinal cord. This is a common occurrence in impoverished areas due to the fact that a diet rich in folic acid is well above their budgets.

With the size of informal settlements expanding, and because of the decline of the economy, more pressure is put on government funded clinics and hospitals. So the importance of nongovernmental organisations (NGOS) has become more relevant in shantytowns. Their involvement is critical, especially with young mothers and their newborns. One such not for profit company is Cradle of Hope, situated 3.7km from Munsieville. Their House of Restoration can accommodate 30 mothers and their children at a time and assists them in regaining their human dignity and self worth. Instead of handing the care seekers a handful of supplies, Cradle of Hope assists in helping the women back on to their feet and ready to face life again. At 37 Dekker Street, the address of Cradle of Hope, the NGO has added a crèche for the little ones to learn their ABCS, giving them a head start they otherwise would not have had. The importance of NGOS such as Children of Fire and the Cradle of Hope – to name a few – cannot be stressed enough as they help and educate those who slip through the cracks in state institutions. These organisations are completely funded by the public’s goodwill, giving you, the reader, the power to change and influence the fate of many lives. YB