EAST LONDON - For many mothers, bringing a new life into this world is seen as a blessing.
But sadly, in South Africa, thousands of children are abandoned.
The Eastern Cape Social Development Department recorded 63 cases in December.
The children were either abandoned or sexually assaulted.
Calls are growing for society to play a bigger role in ending the crisis
The province is also grappling with another crisis -- teenage pregnancy.
On Christmas Day, 40 of the 187 newborn babies were delivered by girls between the ages of 15 and 19.
Child neglect is also leading to overcrowding at orphanages.
“We are running out of space, we can only do 30 children, and we are at least getting 13 to 15 calls per day for children that we just cannot accommodate," said Elaine Brenkman, Guardians of Hope founder.
"I know that there are a lot of organisations, which include ours, that do a lot of talks.
"But guess what, we are not getting into the more rural areas, into areas where they don’t get to come to an event.”
- eNCA's Ronald Masinda reports.