The late Nelson Mandela once said that our prisons are the true judge of society: "A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones." Often, the group most overlooked are those imprisoned mothers who give birth to children during their incarceration.
The NGO Babies Behind Bars looks to correct this oversight. The organisation looks after babies from birth to two years old while they are living with their mothers in prisons across the country, providing all their basic necessities on a month to month basis.
"Raising a child behind bars must be one of the scariest scenarios. No baby shower, no floral bouquets, no family kissing the cheeks of your little bundle. We bring hope by uplifting the mothers and children through our projects and monthly donations and ensuring that the moms have what is needed to raise happy and healthy babies," the organisation says.
Their project has ambitions of extending across Africa -- where some of the prison conditions are even worse than in South Africa.
"Babies always deserve the best. No matter where they are and what they have, nothing beats equipping their moms to care in the healthiest ways for them," founder Romy Titus says.
Titus' organisation is looking for support, so if you are able to help, get in touch on their website.