Help 60 Vulnerable Children Stay in Their Families

The process of reuniting children living in institutional care with their families is progressing well and St. Andrews Baby Unit is not isolated from this process as it has been a home to approximately 20 vulnerable children who were brought in due to difficult circumstances. I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous giving towards the baby unit since every donation that comes in helps to ensure that all the children are well cared for in a safe and friendly environment. Their health, growth and development is our number one priority as we progress towards integration of children whose parents or relatives have been traced but most importantly finding alternative care for the orphaned and abandoned children like Baraka, John and Lewis. The house matron at the baby unit ensures that these children are loved, cared and protected to enable them growth healthy, strong and responsible.

Lewis was the youngest of the four siblings brought at Kandara Children’s Home. He and her sister Fide as the children nicknamed her were placed at St. Andrews baby unit as they were 2 and 3 years respectively. The report from the children’s office indicated that the children were abandoned by their mother and were left by their father who was a drunkard. It is reported that due to his drinking habit, he not only neglected the children, he physically abused the children and went further sexually abuse the older girl who informed the neighbours. This prompted the neighbours to report their father to the police but he ran away before being apprehended. The police and the children’s office brought the children to Kandara Children’s Home as they searched for both parents.  The mother was later apprehended and jailed for abandoning and endangering the lives of her children while the father was given life imprisonment for child defilement. Although the mother was released one year later, she only visited the children once while on probation.  She had promised to come back for them once she settles down and rebuild her life but ran away and never to be heard. Effort to trace her was unsuccessful but the report that came to us recently is that she is in police custody as she was imprisoned again for theft. Lewis and his siblings have no home to go to or parents to love and care for them and it is our duty to provide and protect these children so that they can thrive and succeed in future. We hope that we will be able to find an alternative care for all the four children so that they don’t get separated as they grow up!

Other news is that all the children at St. Andrews baby unit are in good health. The four children who are in pre-primary school are progressing well in their classes and teacher Ann who is in charge was pleased to report that the children are performing well  though there were challenges when they joined school,  they have shown their  potential to succeed academically for a brighter future. Our vulnerable child support office is still working with the children’s office to trace the parents and relatives of the remaining children at the baby unit for the reintegration process. Fidelis was recently taken by her mother so that she can spend the holiday bonding with the family before she is integrated back home in December while Baraka has now been cleared for adoption. We pray that he will soon be taken by a loving family who will give him a place to call home where he will thrive and become successful in future

Thank you for making St Andrews Baby Unit a safe place for our children. We believe that all the children should have equal rights and opportunity to be raised within a family unit, in safe environment and are protected against all forms of exploitation that hinders their normal growth and development. We will continue support the baby unit to ensure that the children’s needs are well catered for as they can grow up to become industrious and responsible citizens of this world. I would like you to find this partnership worthwhile as we work towards finding alternative care and loving homes for the eight children where their future will be secured.

As we were celebrating Mother’s day yesterday, my mind was not at peace as I kept asking myself “Who are the mothers of  Baraka, John, Blessing,  Fidelis and all the other children at the St. Andrew’s baby unit? What happened to their motherly instincts?” I believe every child has a right to live under the care and protection of his/her parents in loving environment. But this has not been the case of children who were brought in at the St. Andrews baby unit as each of them has a sad story behind the circumstances under which they were brought in much as they are not aware, this thought brings heaviness in my heart.

Vision Africa believes that the best place for a child to thrive is within a family. This is true because many of the vulnerable children who have been rescued and placed at the St. Andrews baby unit due to abandonment, parental negligence or being orphaned at birth have had difficulties in achieving their developmental milestone as compared to children being raised in a loving family where parents and siblings are there to love and care for the child in every stage as they grow up. The house mothers at St. Andrews baby unit have done great job in ensuring that the children are loved and cared for in a clean and safe environment to enable them grow as any normal children.  But in as much as they are loved, sheltered, protected and catered for, this cannot be compared to a mother’s love. In her famous quotes, author Marrion C Garretty said “Mother’s love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible”. How I wish all the mothers whom were are trying to reach out in the process of re-integration at the St. Andrews baby unit will have such an understanding and accept to take back their children so that they can be raised in a loving home. It is unfortunate that not all children placed at the baby unit will go back to their families but Vision Africa is partnering with other child care organization to provide an alternative care for them just like in the case of John from Maragua.

John was brought at St Andrews baby unit by her aged grandmother with the help of a social worker from Maragua District Hospital where she used to take the child for clinic and get baby formula. This is after John’s mother passed on after she gave birth to him due to complications living him and four other siblings in the hands of their grandparents. The grandmother was willing to take care of her grandchildren much as they were already old and poor but the grandfather was against it which resulted to domestic dispute between them.  One month after the death of their mother, the older children were separated and taken to different children’s home since none of the relatives wanted to care for them but since John was an infant, the social worker at the hospital recommended him to be placed at the baby unit which has become his home for the last four years. John is now attending pre-school in the nearby early childhood education centre being supported by Vision Africa.

During my visits to St. Andrews baby unit, I observed John’s character which was different from the other children. He was that shy, dull boy who would see visitors and run away to hide or go to a corner and not talk to anybody. This happened like three times and I decided to ask Matron Lucy what could be problem and she would say that he does not like interacting with people he is not familiar with neither does he like to play with other children. In my last visit in April, I was surprised to be received by John who saw me at the door and came running. He even asked my name and when in told him, he ran back to call other children saying “come and see Aunty Sherry”. To me that was a real transformation. I asked one of the house mothers who was on duty that day and she said that since he joined school, he has turned out to be a jovial and active boy who is eager to learn new things and interact with other children. He even requested me to take a photo with him and would jump into other children’s photo session. Am so happy with the new character that John has acquired and I hope he will keep it even after he is taken up to foster care since he is among the children whom we are seeking the alternative care.

Other news is that all the children are healthy and the four who were on recess have resumed learning. Baraka is also undergoing physiotherapy to correct his legs and the shoes that were recommended for him by the physiotherapist were bought so as to enable him walk straight. Our vulnerable child support staff is still pursuing Raymond’s mother for the re-integration process although she has come with new demands, I hope that they come up with a conclusive decision in the best interest of the child.

On behalf of children and house mothers, we would like to thank you for your continuous support towards the St. Andrews Baby Unit.  We acknowledge that your contribution towards the Baby Unit has brought hope and assurance to these innocent children. The beautiful smiles in their faces are a clear indication that there is hope and brighter future thanks to you!