By Feni Hiveluah
While Namibia legally decriminalised safe baby surrender in 2019, a tragic gap in public awareness keeps desperate mothers hidden in fear, poverty, and isolation.
Enter Ronel Peters (53), a woman who refused to wait for state action and instead became a lifeline for hundreds of distressed mothers and special-needs infants. This week, Confident Women sat down with the visionary behind Namibia’s first automated baby-saver box at Ruach Elohim in Swakopmund.
Q: The foundation introduced Namibia’s first built-in ‘baby-saver box’ in its boundary wall. Can you walk us through the technology— how does it protect the baby and alert your team the moment an infant is placed inside?
“The Baby Saver Box is an automated box. There is a little mattress, blanket, and pillow inside. A letter addressed to the mother will inform her of the important details she needs to know, like the 60 days available for reclaiming her baby. As soon as the box is opened, it sends a message to 7 recipients that the box is opened. Once the box is closed, another message is being sent. Once the box is closed, it locks automatically, and it can not be opened from the outside anymore. The baby is safe inside. When we fetch the baby, we will open the box from the inside of the boundary wall. We have already received 51 babies safely through the box.”
Q: Desperate mothers are often terrified of facing prosecution or public shame. How do you guarantee absolute anonymity to a mother who utilizes the saver box in the middle of the night?
“The mother leaves her baby anonymously in the Baby Saver Box. The law in Namibia decriminalised baby dumping in 2019, which means any desperate mother is allowed by law, to leave her baby anonymously at any safe place like a police station, hospital or place of safety without facing prosecution given that the baby is unharmed.”
Q: You’ve recently noted that public outcry in Namibia only happens after a tragic baby dumping headline occurs. Why do you feel our national response remains so reactive instead of focusing on proactive prevention?
“It is a pity that there is not enough proactive prevention about safe baby surrendering options in Namibia. Once a baby is dumped and the news of another deceased baby hits the headlines, only then people react with opinions and outrage, but no steps are taken by anyone to prevent it from happening again. We have been the only organization since 2019 doing any awareness on this topic in Namibia. Due to limited resources and time, it is very difficult for us to raise enough awareness in Namibia on our own. We need everyone in Namibia, including the government, to help us combat this horrific act of unsafe dumping.”
Q: Beyond healthy newborns, you also take in abandoned infants with severe illnesses or special developmental needs. How does the foundation handle the immense medical and financial pressure that comes with specialized pediatric care?
“We are a registered welfare organization that is entirely dependent on donations and goodwill of the public. Unfortunately, we do not have international sponsors and no support of the government in any way. We have to use what we get for the well-being of these special needs babies, and unfortunately, the financial pressure leaves us in a desperate situation because our medical costs are immense and sky-rocketing. We had 4 babies who underwent successful brain surgery, cleft lip repair, cataract removal, eye laser, heart operation, and gastrointestinal surgery. These babies also receive ongoing therapy and medical care for years, and we need all the financial help we can get.”
Q: Once a baby is safely surrendered into your box and medically cleared, what is the legal and administrative process to get them from your temporary shelter into a loving, permanent adoptive home?
“We have a full-time private social worker who works very closely with the Ministry of Gender to register the births of these babies and to get them registered as adoptable. Once an approved family is found and matched, she finalizes the adoption through the court in Namibia.”
Q: Finally, Ronel, there may be a pregnant young woman or a struggling mother listening to this podcast right now who feels completely trapped and hopeless. What is your direct message to her?
“Please call us! Be assured that we are there to help any mother ánd her baby in a desperate, difficult situation to make it safe for both. Our social worker is available for counseling these mothers and informing them of all their legal options. They must please contact us before they do anything irresponsible and illegal, which will harm her and the baby. No problem is too big to handle. Our hearts and doors are wide open!!!”
