Local mum, Jessica Baguley was pleased to learn that her newborn daughter Poppy’s birth will help save the life of a helpless baby in Uganda.
Jessica’s obstetrician Dr Natalie Elphinstone makes a donation to a charity called Baby Watoto for each baby that she delivers, after discovering the plight of orphaned babies and vulnerable mothers in Watoto, Uganda.
Dr Elphinstone gave Jessica a hippopotamus toy, handmade in the Watoto Village, as a keepsake and reminder of this special gift.
“I feel so good knowing that my daughter’s birth has helped another pregnant woman and baby who are less fortunate,” said Jessica.
“When I saw the stark differences between what it’s like to give birth in Uganda compared to Australia, I felt compelled to help in some way,” said Dr Elphinstone.
“For most parents in Australia, the journey of bringing a baby into the world is filled with the comforts of modern healthcare, support services, and a sense of security. There’s access to advanced pre-natal and post-natal care, state of the art birthing facilities and ongoing support. For mothers in Uganda, it’s a different story,” said Dr Elphinstone.
“Uganda faces significant challenges in maternal and child health. With limited access to medical care, a shortage of trained professionals and underfunded healthcare facilities, many mothers face life-threatening complications during childbirth. And then, because of extreme poverty, mental illness and family dysfunction, it’s not uncommon for babies to be abandoned.”
That’s where Baby Watoto steps in. Founded initially as a response to Uganda’s orphan crisis, Baby Watoto as part of Watoto Childcare Ministries, rescues orphaned and abandoned babies aged between 0 – 2 years old who are sometimes found in pit latrines, left at bus stops, hospitals and churches and even by the side of the road.
Since it first began, Baby Watoto has rescued more than 1,600 babies—and counting.
Learn more about the work of Watoto and Baby Watoto.