We are blessed with the willing volunteers who come on an ad hoc basis and those who are regulars at the Bab
ies Homes. This programme is the one which attracts most volunteers, because it is easily accessible and because the little ones pull on heart strings very easily.
We have had two adoptions over the course of the year, though there has been a moratorium placed by the Department of Social Development on adoptions in KwaZulu-Natal over alleged child trafficking. We have also seen several placements of children and others being reunited with their birth families.
Approaches have been made to other babies’ homes with a view to establishing a network so that information and ideas can be shared and help given where needed.
Weekly management meetings have been instituted where development of the children is discussed, progress on adoptions is reviewed and surveys of repairs and maintenance are made.
Over the past few months, an informal pre-primary school has been running three mornings a week at the Babies’ Homes, giving the toddlers opportunity to learn about the basics: numbers and letters, colours and shapes. Liezel Andersson has done a wonderful job in setting the school up and engages with the children wonderfully well. A second volunteer has taken on the remaining two weekdays and so the school runs every morning for two hours during term time.
DOMINO EFFECTS 