2007年VOA标准英语-Number of Abandoned Babies in S. Africa Increas

By Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
03 July 2007

Welfare organizations say there has been a dramatic increase in the number of abandoned babies in South Africa in the past year. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our bureau in Johannesburg.

HIV-positive Tommy Jarvis, 13, was abandoned in a bar as a baby and given just weeks to live by doctors, Johannesburg, 13 Jun 2007

Child welfare organizations across South Africa have observed a significant increase in the number of abandoned babies in the past year. Khosi Msibi, the social welfare manager at the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society, says she noticed an increase of around 50 percent from last December.

"It used to be 16-17 per month but now it has increased drastically. Per month, for now we receive about 28, 32 or less," said Msibi. "That's why I was saying it varies per month."

Msibi says that the babies are being found in a variety of circumstances.

"Some are abandoned in hospitals and then some in left in public places, and some are left in open veld [open areas] in the townships, and then some are left in taxi ranks or just inside the taxi, and then some are left with child minders," she said.

The overwhelming number of mothers who abandon their babies are between 16 and 23 years old; many have been raped¹; others cut adrift by the child's father when he learns of the pregnancy². As many as 50 percent are refugees or illegal immigrants from countries like Zimbabwe, who are unable to cope with a child.

Msibi says the catalyst³ for abandonment can be poverty, shame, or parental⁴ pressure. In many cases she says, it is HIV/AIDS.

"I think HIV/AIDS, that is one reason. Because young mothers - they often find themselves unable to cope with the demands of raising this HIV-positive baby, and also they themselves they are sick and then they end up abandoning this child," said Msibi.

Welfare organizations are able to reunite about 50 percent of the abandoned babies with their mothers. Msibi says these reunions are carefully managed.

"We will reach out, go out and double check and thereafter we will interview and we will find out yes this is the biological mother of this baby, and the very same young mother will also be counseled giving information and also all the skills that she will need as a parent," said Msibi.

Most babies who cannot be reunited with their mothers become available for fostering or adoption⁵; but even though there is no discrimination against single parents, same sex couples, and adults of different racial groups, the number of available babies far outweighs⁶ the list of potential foster or adoptive parents. Welfare organizations hope to change this through public appeals.

1 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

2 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

3 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

4 parental   

adj.父母的；父的；母的

参考例句：

• He encourages parental involvement in the running of school.他鼓励学生家长参与学校的管理。
• Children always revolt against parental disciplines.孩子们总是反抗父母的管束。

5 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

6 outweighs   

v.在重量上超过( outweigh的第三人称单数 )；在重要性或价值方面超过

参考例句：

• Her need to save money outweighs her desire to spend it on fun. 她省钱的需要比她花钱娱乐的愿望更重要。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Its clarity in algebraic and analytical operations far outweighs any drawbacks. 文化代数和解析运算中的清晰性远远胜过任何缺点。 来自辞典例句