IN May, a month-old baby boy was found abandoned in a shack, covered with ants and mosquitoes. That same month, two teenagers from Malacca were charged with burying a newborn boy.
And just this week, the body of a baby, his umbilical cord still attached, was found by a road in Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya. Police believe the boy was dumped three hours after his birth.
Cases like these convince the committee members of OrphanCARE that the newly-installed baby hatch at their centre in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, is crucial.
OrphanCARE, a smart partner of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry that aims to find every orphan and abandoned baby a loving family, decided to build one after its inception in 2008.
A baby hatch is a place where mothers who are unable, or unwilling, to take care of their babies, can leave them in a safe environment, where they will be cared for. There are hatches in countries like Pakistan, Germany, Japan and India. (See Different names, same aim)
Many abandoned babies die from exposure to the elements. Some survive, but their health usually suffers – chest infections are common.
Initially, the NGO considered purchasing the design of a baby hatch from Germany, where there are 80 babyklappen scattered around the country. However, the price was daunting.
OrphanCARE then decided to come out with its own hatch, which cost RM15,000 to build. It is located at the centre’s premises, a bungalow situated in residential Kampung Tunku.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
