Project 6: Baby’s Joy, Mother’s Hope - South Africa

Mite partnered with Impact Africa, to distribute baby care packs to 200 marginalised expectant and new mothers living in poverty in Johannesburg. The baby backpacks contain all the products and essentials needed to care for and make life a little easier for a newborn.

South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world, with approximately 7.7 million people living with HIV. Women are disproportionately affected by HIV and in 2017, 26% of women were estimated to be living with HIV, compared to around 15% of men (Avert.org).

Poverty, the low status of women, and gender-based violence have all been cited as reasons for this disparity in HIV prevalence (Van Damme. Et al, 2008).

In addition, the high prevalence of early pregnancy and motherhood combined with poverty complicates matters in the future and can force many girls to drop out of school, trapping them in a cycle of welfare dependency, and leaving them stigmatised by society for being teenage mothers. Every day an estimated 450 children are orphaned and at least three babies are abandoned because of the despair felt by young mothers who can't take care of their newborns. These figures are staggering and very sad for both mother and baby.

In response to these harsh realities, Mite teamed up with Impact Africa to put together special newborn care packs including all the essentials such as diapers, baby wipes, toothpaste, toothbrush, baby blanket, baby clothes, toys etc. We hope these mother/baby care packages will make life that little bit easier for women struggling to make ends meet. We want to show them that they matter and belong and that their newborn needs their love and care.