Abandoned baby aided only after NGO steps in

Eight months old, abandoned at birth, and suffering from a rare brain condition known as hydranencephaly (where parts of the brain didn’t form and were replaced by fluid), Baby Z’s head had grown to 71 centimetres. He had received a brain shunt (a small tube to drain the fluid) at three weeks old to relieve pressure — a life-saving intervention — but according to caregiver Ronel Peters, the device became blocked, and the condition worsened over time.For months, the infant reportedly remained in a state hospital in WIndhoek, without revision of the malfunctioning shunt. “He was in pain. Severely malnourished. Left in a room, dirty, alone under blankets,” Peters said. “The pressure was building in his head, and nothing was being done. We were told to go to a private doctor if we wanted the operation. The reason given was ‘no quality of life,’”Peters is the founder of Ruach Elohim Foundation in Swakopmund, a Namibian non-profit organisation that takes in abandoned, neglected and abused babies. The foundation was approached by social workers and asked whether it could assist. “When I saw him for the first time, I was devastated. His body was weak and undernourished, and his head so swollen it was visibly painful. I kissed his hand and promised him he wouldn’t be left alone again,” she told Network Media Hub from the Windhoek hospital.With the help of a private neurosurgeon — the same specialist who had operated on another child under her care 17 months earlier — Peters secured an emergency intervention. A drain was inserted into the baby's skull to release fluid, bringing immediate relief. The child was later cleared for full surgery this past week.“Although still in pain, he’s found tremendous relief with the operation. He is calm, and he is loved,” she said.But the story, Peters insists, is not just about one child. “There are more babies like him. Hidden, waiting for someone to act. And the system is not responding fast enough. If we have policies and laws that say every child deserves a safe and loving environment, then we must ask: Why are children still slipping through the cracks?”She is now advocating for broader awareness and engagement, calling for national reflection on how the country’s child protection and health systems can better coordinate to care for children with severe medical needs. “It’s not about attacking anyone,” she says. “It’s about finding those who are being left behind and making sure they’re not invisible.”Peters is also urging improved cooperation between social services, caregivers and health providers. “We must start asking: What happens to the child who doesn’t have someone to fight for them?” she pointed out.The Ruach Elohim Foundation continues to provide shelter and care for babies who have been abandoned or severely neglected. “He (Baby Z) may never speak or walk. But he deserves to be held, comforted and loved like any other child,” said, adding: “The real question is — if it were your child, would you still walk away?”

Abandoned baby aided only after NGO steps in

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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Abandoned baby aided only after NGO steps in

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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