We met a young girl, Noma*, aged 16, while doing house-to-house visits. She had a 9-month-old baby, weighing 5.9 kg. Both her parents had died, the father in 2003 and the mother in 2007. Her parents were married and had 5 children. Noma is the first born and is now looking after her own child and her siblings. They have family – uncles and aunts – but they do not care for the kids. Two of Noma’s siblings have moved to Eastern Cape to stay with an old granny. The mother had an income from the father’s work pension after he died. A friend of the mother is now the beneficiary of that pension and is not supporting the children but using the money for herself. Noma, her child and the siblings do not have money for food.
We referred this case to Social Services and they are investigating. In the meantime, they are receiving emergency relief from Philani. We are helping Noma to get an ID and encouraging her to go back to school.
*Names have been changed to protect identities
