The Upper Highway Baby Home

The Upper Highway Baby Home (UHBH) was founded in 2019 by registered foster parents, Kerry and Gary. This establishment serves as a screened haven, offering both temporary safe care and foster care for abandoned and vulnerable babies. These babies arrive with the necessary adoption paperwork, often in fragile health states that demand urgent and ongoing medical attention to facilitate successful adoption.

Beyond tending to their physical well-being, we also focus on nurturing these infants to adapt to a family environment. Our efforts include teaching them to interact gently with pets, travel safely in car seats, accompany us to shops, and partake in outings. Interaction with peers and adults aids in their social development. Our mission is to provide these precious little ones with the typical experiences a loving family would, ensuring a seamless and joyous transition into their new forever homes.

At UHBH, each baby is embraced into the Stanton family fold, assuring them that they are cherished and valued immensely. Our refuge becomes their sanctuary, preparing them for the upcoming chapter in their lives with their forever families. With dedicated care during their first two formative years, we lay down the essential groundwork for a healthy and fulfilling future.

Why the Need?

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Estimated number of babies abandoned yearly in South Africa
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Number of babies saved
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Placed for adoption

Approximately 40,000 infants are abandoned annually in South Africa, with only around 3,000 of them being rescued. Tragically, the rest meet their fate alone, discarded in fields, rivers, or even toilets. An additional 10,000 babies await adoption, typically stemming from young mothers subjected to abuse or trapped in circumstances where providing a nurturing and stable upbringing is beyond their means.

Regrettably, the government-run facilities established to aid these vulnerable babies are severely under-resourced and overwhelmed by demand. Consequently, many babies find themselves in ad-hoc orphanage-like settings, their prospects of flourishing and leading fulfilling lives diminishing significantly. Distressingly, a substantial number of these babies don’t make it through their first two years. Those who do survive often spend their entire childhoods within these orphanages, compelled to leave abruptly once government assistance ceases. This exacerbates an already dire situation, perpetuating a cycle of neglect that spans generations, with some of these young adults becoming parents as early as 14 years old.

South Africa is grappling with an urgent and overlooked crisis. Every child, without exception, deserves the warmth of a loving family, especially during their formative years. The scarcity of nurturing facilities for abandoned infants in South Africa, along with the means to facilitate their adoption into caring families, has reached a critical point.

By making a difference in the lives of even a few babies each year, we anticipate a significant ripple effect. These children will have the opportunity to experience family life and evolve into compassionate, socially conscious adults themselves. It is imperative that we break this cycle of neglect. Our aspiration is that our efforts will inspire countless others across the nation to join us in this cause.

"Children are our greatest treasure,
they are our future."

Nelson Mandela

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