Vision and Mission

The organisation was born out of the realisation that South Africa displays a great disparity in provision and access to healthcare services, especially for premature infants and is dedicated to sustainable human development by:

• promoting the responsible, ethical bearing and raising of physically and mentally healthy children;
• advocating and supporting exclusive breastfeeding as part of a holistic approach to ensuring equitable access to healthcare in low-resourced areas; and
• advocating the health rights of mothers and their children under five years old in their communities and the work place.

We achieve this through constant clinical, technological and managerial innovation in collaboration with medical professionals, university researchers, engineers, IT providers and transport enterprises, as well as breastfeeding activism through active participation in social health networks and co-operation with relevant government departments.

Beneficiaries

The SABR functions as a co-ordinating body for the equitable distribution of life-saving DBM country wide and is geared towards delivering DBM to every part of South Africa within 24 to 48 hours, whilst ensuring that it is of the highest quality and meets regulatory standards. The SABR follows a universal guideline that includes all infants below 37 weeks’ gestation. The largest amount of donor breastmilk is directed to public hospital facilities.The SABR currently supports breastfeeding mothers in rural areas in Lusikisiki, Umthatha, Queenstown, Upington, Kimberley, Mafikeng, Vryburg, Dihlabeng, Phuthaditjhaba and Mankweng.

Partnerships

The SABR has evolved quality systems and technologies that are local and sustainable, we understand the beneficiaries of our work and work in close partnership with a wide stakeholder base ranging from technical experts, engineers, civil society organisations, government organisations and academic institutions. The SABR research programme comprises a number of projects and studies related to promoting breastfeeding and the supply of hygienic, safe and nutritious donated breastmilk for neonates at risk.

The SABR is also an advisory member of three technical working groups at the National Department of Health and the author of the Standard Operating Procedures informing the Proposed Regulatory Framework for Human Milk Banking in South Africa.

Innovation

The SABR pioneered the human milk-banking concept in South Africa. The SABR’s strength lies in developing innovative ways to apply research findings to the improved delivery of health services ranging from quality research aimed at developing rapid testing methods for donated breastmilk, to the design of mobile ECD clinics with the vision of supporting mothers and children in under-served, impoverished communities.

Best Practice

The SABR supports best practice by providing facilities that:

• Support the altruistic collection, processing and distribution of donated breastmilk, safely and hygienically, nation wide.
• Support breastfeeding mothers in a dignified manner and assist with the expressing of breastmilk for NICU patients primarily.
• Provide ongoing communication and education to the public on breastfeeding topics such as “breastfeeding in the work place? through a variety of media ranging from community radio and newspapers, national media and social media.
• Conduct ongoing research into innovative, clinical, technological and managerial techniques for supporting lactation, and improving the quality management of stored/donated breastmilk (DBM) that are suitable for low-resourced settings.
• Lobby at government as well as grass-roots levels in support, promotion and protection of breastfeeding.

The SOStainer Project is the latest initiative by the SABR in extending its life-saving services in rural areas. The SOStainer Clinic is a versatile facility designed for low-resourced settings that aims to bring primary healthcare services, and comprehensive Early Childhood Development programmes closer to under-served households. The SOStainer Clinics will provide the basis for a holistic, community-based care programme that will include:

• Breastfeeding support and nutrition,
• Immunisation
• Collecting, pasteurising and distributing DBM
• HIV testing and counselling
• Nutrition support 
• 5 pillars of Child Development
• Home visits for the near-by community

Despite great success over the years, the task is ongoing and requires continuous learning and improvement. With your continued help - through donating breastmilk, sponsorship or simply using your car to help with collections and deliveries - we hope to reach even more children in need than ever before.
 

Stasha Jordan,
Executive director and founder of SABR

To get involved, call 011 482 1920
or e-mail info@sabr.org.za
You can also find us on Facebook
and follow us on Twitter @SABRmilk