Teens raising babies on the Streets

When a couple become parents and get their first child, most of them usually don’t have a clue on how to raise this young baby that they have been blessed with. We experienced the same when we got our first child, my daughter Naledi. We were and still are overjoyed and ready for the challenges ahead. At that time we would ask ourselves how hard can it be, we have helped in raising some of our relatives child so clearly we know what we are doing. Honestly! Half of the time is guess work and following advice from 20 people, all with their own style.

This week I got an opportunity on Monday to visit the streets and met a lot of different people. In one of the bases that we visited, we met Mercy with her baby James. When we arrived at the base, they were all gathered around a carton boxes that were also being used as plates. Food had been collected from the trash pile that was just next to them. Sitting under a tree nearby were two babies one of whom was around 2 years and then a younger one of 8 months whom I later James. James had something on his mouth and was choking on something that he was trying to eat. When I went closer to check him out, he was trying to eat a piece of dirty sugar cane that his mom had given him.  He also had a piece of meat that he was choking on. I asked who the baby belongs to, a young girl in her mid teens came up. I told her to remove what the baby what eating. She removed a piece of meat from James' mouth and what struck me was...she did not realize the danger she had put her son from choking to death. When she told me James’ age, I realized that he was the same age as my daughter, 8 months and I just was sad and wondering what kind of life baby James had gone through,  how many miss-haps he had gone through because his mum did not have any clue on what is to be done, how many days he had gone without food, sleeping in the cold etc.

 Another sad thing was when we came, Mercy (James’ mum) had a glue bottle in her mouth which meant that most of the time she was high on glue and was not paying attention to mothering responsibilities. Does she have a clue as to what James needs; does she take him to the clinic for regular check-ups as required? So many questions going through my mind. If Naledi has parents who still need to learn a lot and sometimes don’t know what to do or

have to consult, what about James growing up in the hands of a teenage mum living in the streets.

By Joel.