The St. Andrew’s Baby Unit, situated in Kandara Children’s Home, has now been open for over one year. Set up to cater for babies and small children, the unit has proved to be a valuable asset to the local community and is now quite well established.
Initially, a group of young children were moved from the dormitories into the baby unit. This allowed the housemothers a chance to establish routines and get used to their new environment. In December 2008 the last of these children, the twins shown in the headline, were transferred back to the dormitories as the all the cots were filled by smaller children. As you can see they are happy, healthy girls and have adjusted well to life outside the baby unit.
Over the course of 2008, new babies have been brought in due to a variety of circumstances. Some have been abandoned and discovered by passers-by, others were orphaned as their mothers died in childbirth or while they were young. There are currently 5 babies in one room – the latest arrived at 4 days old two weeks before Christmas – and 3 small children in the second bedroom, including Grace who was the first small baby to be brought into the home last January at only 2 weeks old.
It is encouraging that the families of some of the children come to visit them regularly, often bringing donations of milk or bananas from their homes. Sometimes these babies still have a father, brothers and sisters or grandparents who are simply unable to care for a small baby after the loss of its mother. In these cases it is always the hope that, in time, the child will be restored to the family unit. Those children who have been abandoned and no trace of the parents can be found might be adopted by a local family once all the legalities have been observed.
It takes 5 housemothers to look after the babies, split into day and night shifts. There are constantly nappies and clothes on the washing line – all washed by hand of course – and bottles of formula milk being prepared. The work seems never ending but the staff are always smiling, enjoying the satisfaction of seeing the babies grow bigger and stronger and developing their own personalities.
The baby unit is funded through the sponsorship of cots and additional donations which are required to allow us to provide the best care possible for these young babies. If you would like more information or to support the St. Andrews Baby Unit, please use our contact form to get in touch.