Over 40 abandoned infants found in Phoenix, Chatsworth, Vereulam, and Tongaat

A newborn girl was found abandoned in the bushes with her umbilical cord still attached. After being discovered, she was urgently taken to the hospital where she received emergency medical care, and the community mobilized to provide support through the Rahmah project.

The girl was found in the Eerster River area of Cape Town and transported to Eerster River Hospital, where she is currently in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) receiving treatment.

The discovery of the child prompted Zakira Mohamed, the founder of Project Rahmah, and her team to intervene, quickly mobilizing their community to provide the newborn with clothes, diapers, blankets, toiletries, and other necessary items.

Project Rahmah is a local initiative in Cape Town that provides practical assistance to vulnerable people during difficult times.

Mohamed reported that Project Rahmah received a call from Sister Anand at the hospital after nine o'clock on September 8th. She emphasized that there was no doubt they would provide aid.

"There were no discussions between me, Amir, and our other director. No hesitation. We intended to do everything within our means to ensure this child has everything needed to start her life," she said.

The team immediately went to get baby toiletries, while Mohamed contacted mothers' groups in Tableview and Blouberg. She noted that the response was overwhelming.

"Mothers came together for a child they never knew. They donated clothes, blankets, diapers, pacifiers, towels, and much more," she recounted.

For Mohamed, this response demonstrated the strength of community solidarity when a vulnerable child needs help. She added that the mothers reminded her that support can mean the world to someone who feels forgotten.

The next morning, Mohamed and the Project Rahmah team went to the hospital to deliver the donations. The duty doctor granted Mohamed access to the NICU, where she was able to hold the baby briefly. This moment left her deeply emotional.

"I told her that she wasn't born by accident or without purpose. That she is loved. That there is a community of people supporting her and praying for her. That her beginning should not determine her end," she shared.

Mohamed described the infant as one of the calmest and most beautiful babies she had ever seen. She mentioned crying from the moment she first saw the child until leaving the hospital.

Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the abandonment, Mohamed noted that the incident made her reflect on the conditions that might lead women to feel isolated and desperate. She works with trauma survivors and has personal traumatic experiences herself.

"Although nothing can justify abandoning a helpless child in the bushes, we must be honest about the society we have created," stated Mohamed.

She wondered what might have happened to the mother before she reached the point of giving up on the child. In her view, society should consider whether the woman was afraid, lonely, threatened, or ashamed, and if she had a safe place to turn to.

Mohamed believes this case should prompt a broader discussion on how families and communities support vulnerable women and girls before they reach a critical point.

"We must treat our girls better. We must ensure that families choose their daughters, not public opinion," she said. She stressed that communities need safe spaces where women can seek help before despair becomes the only option.

Currently, Child X remains in the hospital under the care of doctors and nurses. He has also received clothing, blankets, toiletries, and other necessities donated by community members.

Mohamed expressed hope that the child's story will continue, and he will grow up knowing that he is important. "May he grow up surrounded by people who remind him of his significance. May he never doubt that he belongs in this world," she concluded. She added that this incident should serve as a reminder that support must precede tragedy.

"Sometimes saving a life starts with a blanket, a diaper, or a kind word, but long-term change begins when we decide to create a world where people feel safe enough to ask for help," she summarized.