Baby Steven with an SOS Mother from SOS Malawi. Photo from SOS Archives

March 31, 2011: Born in June 2010 to a mother who died during delivery from a hemorrhage, baby Steven’s prospects were bleak.

Members of the poor village in Malawi in which he was born could not find his father. The only relative who might care for him was his maternal grandmother. In reality, she was destitute and elderly, scratching out a living by selling kaschasu, a home-brewed gin popular among impoverished villagers. With no resources to look after a baby, she watched baby Steven grow malnourished and weaker by the day.

That’s when fellow villagers stepped in. They launched an appeal on local radio and TV stations for action. Their message: “Without help, this child will die.” 

Reaching the Ears and Hearts of SOS Staff  

Staff at SOS Children's Villages in Malawi heard the appeal and approached the local social welfare office. After numerous meetings between SOS staff, the baby's grandmother, and social workers, a decision was made to take the baby to the SOS Children's Village at Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.

Some SOS Mothers in Malawi with Baby Steven. Photo from SOS Archives

Three months after his traumatic birth, baby Steven (name changed due to privacy reasons) arrived at SOS in Lilongwe to a grand welcoming “home.” The next day, Steven's “homecoming," witnessed by the journalists who had followed the story all summer, was broadcast throughout the country. Messages of goodwill flooded in.

Unaware of the hullabaloo he had created, Steven settled into the loving arms of his new SOS family, including his SOS Mother and SOS brothers and sisters.

However, everyone was deeply concerned about how underweight and malnourished he was. After receiving a special diet from the SOS nurse and the loving care of his SOS Mother, he gradually began to put on weight. Steven, it appears, is a tough little cookie.

Baby with Down Syndrome Fortunate to Be Under SOS Care

SOS children in Malawi. Photo by Jennifer Van Wyk

Shortly after his arrival at the SOS Village, doctors discovered that Steven has Down Syndrome. SOS provides him with physical therapy to improve his muscle tone and play therapy to stimulate his mental capabilities. He is a very happy baby who touches the heart of everyone he meets.

In Malawi, SOS has been taking in vulnerable babies like Steven since 1994. Help SOS give babies all over the world the chance of a happy life surrounded by love and attention. Become a Global Village Builder now for just $12 per month and help create a loving, secure environment for all orphaned and abandoned children.

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