Cape Town - Inspired to make a difference in the lives of babies left abandoned, a young Woodstock resident has turned her house into a safe temporary home.
In March last year, during the heightened peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Genevieve Bootcov, 27, launched her own safe home for children in need, resigning from being a night nurse to provide a full-time temporary safe care home for babies from birth to two years.
Almost a year later, Bootcov’s passionate project has grown into a nonprofit organisation that has fostered at least eight babies who needed a loving home.
Bootcov said her journey into being a safety parent started with a child she met while volunteering during the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I never saw myself doing this, but I feel like this is what I was meant to do. When the pandemic hit I couldn’t go to work as usual, so I decided to volunteer. While volunteering I met this beautiful child.
“She had special needs, but the situation she was in was not ideal. I wanted to help her, so I decided to apply to be a safety parent. However, as I was going through the process, she was adopted.
“I continued to get my things in order and not even a month passed before I received a call about a baby that needed a home. That was the first child I took in, and she is still with me today,” Bootcov said.
After this, Bootcov registered her organisation, naming it Little Hands Baby Home, a safe haven for abandoned, orphaned and neglected babies.
“When people think of abandoned babies, they only think of those left under bridges or bins, but babies are sadly also left at hospitals if the mom or parents aren’t ready to take care of them or can’t afford to.
“Becoming a temporary safety parent for me meant that I could take care of these children’s social, physical, mental and developmental needs, but it hasn't always been easy.”
Bootcov, who has no children of her own, takes in four at a time. At present she has two baby girls in her care who she is taking care of, with her long-time volunteer, her mom.
“I just like babies at that age. They fuss, yes, and it’s a lot of work, but they are at the vulnerable stage, and I would rather be their temporary mom than have them somewhere where they’re not looked after or dead…”
As part of her organisation’s first anniversary, Bootcov is hosting a family day picnic in Green Point park on March 31.
To support the Little Hands Baby Home, contact Bootcov at 079 490 7109 or genbootcov@gmail. com.
To register for the family picnic, visit https://forms.gle/D8mu1aHsWzbAxxGY9
nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za