Kirsty Du Toit
When Radio & TV Personality, Romy Titus is not on air, or behind the mic she runs her own Public Benefit Organization, Babies Behind Bars, looking after children aged 0-5 years that live with their incarcerated mothers in prison.
She was awarded the Mandela Washington Fellowship by former USA President Barack Obama in 2014, Elizabeth Arden Community Hero in 2015, One of South Africa’s 100 Leaders by Independent Newspapers 2016, Ubuntu Award for Social Responsibility and the Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary South Africa 2017.
Romy has won the trust of not only the mothers in the prison but also that of the Correctional Service heads and is often their first port of call, if the babies in prison need any help. Her mission it to reach out and assist every prison born child on the African continent.
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– What is Babies Behind Bars? Babies Behind Bars is a not for profit organization and public benefit organization as well as a 501C3 – its mission is to help prison born babies on the African continent with their basic human needs while they live with their mothers behind bars.
– How did this initiative come about? I started this initiative 10 years ago. I was sent on a story to for prime time news on a children in prisons Christmas party – and what I saw that day spurred me on to be the difference.
– Why is this important to you as a woman? It’s in giving that we receive. It’s not important to me as a woman more than it is important to me as a human being, to look outside of myself and to assist others. It brings me joy knowing that I have assisted in the life of a little person in some way or the other to better their quality of life, while they’re doing time for a crime they didn’t commit.
– How do you make a difference? We assist mother in prisons with the basics so that they can care for the children. We donate baby goods like disposable diapers, toiletries, food, formula, clothing and toys to over 17 prisons in SA and beyond the borders into neighbouring countries.
– What do you want people to know about Babies behind Bars? We are extremely underfunded due to the fact that we work in a place littered with criminals. Murderers and fraudsters. If it is one thing I would like to pass on about BBB its they athe organization cares for the children and their well-being. They innocent and deserve a chance, without being judged. They’re not there by any fault of their own.
– What does Babies Behind Bars stand for and promote? We stand and for and promote children’s rights! Children have the right to have good early childhood development, good foundation years and a chance at a happy healthy life even if they living behind bars for the formative years of their lives.
– How can people support and donate?
www.babiesbehindbars.org
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Follow her journey:
https://www.instagram.com/romytitus
https://www.facebook.com/RomyTitus1/
