With economic situations worsening during lockdown, a Johannesburg NGO is worried that families will resort to abandoning their babies.

“Door of Hope” is an organization in South Africa that allows parents to safely give up their babies in a “baby box”. Since the end of March, they have received seven new babies and are now operating at full capacity.

They care for abandoned children and pave the way for them to find permanent homes. They have stated that their desire is to save children and help them thrive.

“The concern is just between six (different) homes, 30 babies have been taken in since lockdown, and a lot of these cases are older babies.”

Nadine Graham, Door of Hope operations director

Graham has said that they would generally receive babies between newborn and one month old, however since lockdown, lots of these cases have been babies up to nine months old, meaning that these parents have simply given up on their children amidst the economic crisis.

As lockdown impacts the most vulnerable communities across South Africa, Door of Hope has said that they fear the numbers will only rise.

Even before lockdown, the National Adoption Coalition of South Africa had estimated that approximately 3,000 children are abandoned each year in South Africa. In 2009, abandonment accounted for around 84% of infanticide.

The country has looked for causes numerous times, citing rape, illegitimacy, incestuous relationships, and the child being an obstacle to personal achievement as the main reasons for abandonment.

Aside from these reasons, gender violence could also be to blame. Police reported 110 rapes in South Africa everyday, or more than one rape every 15 minutes, in the years 2017 and 2018. Even though abortion is legal and free in state clinics, woman are usually advised against it by trusted community leaders.

With adoption at one of its lowest rates in history, the abandonment of children in general and now, with unprecedented circumstances, is a growing problem in the country.

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To donate to Door of Hope, please click the link below (everything helps!)

https://doorofhope.co.za/donate/

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Sources: