Dear Promise
Thank you for being a wonderful friend to UNICEF.
Through your kindness and support throughout, you have helped us ensure that children in South Africa get the best start in life despite the circumstance they are born in. We are excited to share with you that, through your support, UNICEF was able to save new- born children’s lives through the UNICEF-supported Kangaroo Mother Care programme and by promoting exclusive breast-feeding during the first 6 months of an infant’s life, as a baby’s first vaccine, it is the first and best protection they have against illness, disease and death.
At Kalafong Hospital, outside Pretoria, we see the benefits of this support in action. Eighteen-year-old Veronica Maphelela gave birth to twins at this hospital. Meet beautiful Jan and Jungle, twin baby boys whose lives has been greatly impacted by your support. Thank you!
Weighing 1.98 kg and 2 kg respectively, one twin had difficulty in breathing and one had a lung infection. They were then moved to High Care while their mother stayed in the lodging ward and began orientation in Kangaroo Mother Care, focusing on the importance of breastfeeding and the skin to skin position. These approaches helped strengthen their immune system and gave them chance to survive.
“After we moved to the Kangaroo Mother Care ward, my babies' weight started picking up,” she says. “I want to see them grow and go to school and take them to zoos and parks and I want to go back to school next year,” Veronica Maphelela. Your continuous support ensures that more babies are being saved and given a chance to live, just like Jan and Jungle above, named by their thankful mother Veronica!
Sincerely,
Tebogo Phaleni
Donor care team
UNICEF South Africa · Equity House · 659 Pienaar Street · Pretoria, Gp B-0001 · South Africa
