ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY: 11 YEAR OLD CHILD RETURNS HOME AFTER MOTHER’S DETENTION IN PHILIPPINES

Cuma Pantshwa

• An 11-year-old South African girl,*Lizzie Louw, has been successfully repatriated from the Philippines after her mother was arrested for drug trafficking at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport in October 2022. Lizzie had been under temporary care by Philippine welfare services since her mother’s detention.
• Lizzie has been reunited with her maternal aunt, *Zelda, who is now in the process of becoming her foster parent. Despite initial attempts to have Lizzie placed in her grandparents’ care, an assessment deemed them unsuitable, leading to the decision to place Lizzie with her aunt.
• The repatriation was facilitated by the Department of Social Development (DSD) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The DSD is committed to providing ongoing support, including school enrolment, foster care grants, and counselling, to ensure Lizzie’s successful reintegration into society.

An 11-year-old South African girl, *Lizzie Louw, has been successfully repatriated from the Philippines after her mother was arrested for drug trafficking. Lizzie, from the East Rand in Gauteng, was travelling with her mother when she was detained at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport in October 2022. Since her mother’s incarceration, Lizzie has been in temporary care under the Philippine Welfare Services.

Lizzie’s ordeal has now come to an end as she has been reunited with her maternal aunt, *Zelda (52), who has shared the emotional journey of welcoming Lizzie back into her life. Two weeks before Lizzie’s arrival,  Zelda received the call she had been eagerly waiting for – a social worker from the Philippines confirmed Lizzie’s return. “I was overjoyed,” Zelda recalls.

In a heartfelt phone conversation, Zelda’s voice trembles with emotion. “It’s been a whirlwind, but we’re so grateful to have Lizzie back with us,” she says. Reflecting on the past in a somber tone, Zelda recalls the days leading up to her sister’s arrest. “She was an escort and a dancer. I remember the lies, the deception. She was staying with my father and had asked him to drop her off with Lizzie in Brakpan. On that day, she left the country and told our father she was going on holiday. I don’t know much about the drugs.”

Her words, laced with a mix of sadness and frustration, follow. “If only she had left Lizzie behind. Just the other night, Lizzie was crying for her mother. It’s very hard not to have your mum at this age. She’s a very quiet child and often wants me to sleep with her at night; she’s scared to sleep alone.”

*Chloe Louw, who is currently in detention awaiting trial, had requested that her child be sent back to South Africa and placed in the care of her grandparents. The matter was then brought to the attention of social workers at the Department of Social Development in Springs, Gauteng, earlier this year.

Ms. Lillian Ntsenge, Social Work Policy Manager at the National Office of Social Development, explained the developments that led to Lizzie’s reunion. 

“After we were notified by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) that there was a child in distress in a foreign country, the International Social Services (ISS), a section within the National Department of Social Development, immediately requested that the relevant province (in this case, Gauteng) allocate a social worker to the matter. The request indicated that the mother had asked for her father to be the alternative care parent for Lizzie.”

Ms. Ntsenge reported that a social worker had visited the family and conducted an assessment to determine if the grandparents could care for Lizzie. Unfortunately, they were deemed unsuitable due to their advanced ages and limited capacity, “even though the grandfather was very keen to take on that responsibility,” she said. After a second assessment of Zelda, social workers recommended that it would be in Lizzie’s best interest to be placed in foster care with her aunt.

Zelda’s voice brightens as she talks about Lizzie’s special bond with her grandfather. “Lizzie absolutely adores her grandfather. My father used to look after her when she was a baby, so they have a really strong bond. We visit them often because she loves spending time with him.” She chuckles and adds, “And her oupa (grandfather) really wishes that she stayed with them.”

Zelda says she is determined to take things one day at a time and plans to enrol Lizzie in a school as soon as she receives the court order confirming her as Lizzie’s foster parent. She expects to receive the order at the end of October and will begin the school application process then.

Zelda sadly recalls that Lizzie was a talkative nine-year-old, fluent in Afrikaans, when she left South Africa in 2022. “She can’t speak any Afrikaans now, but she plays with my son and his friends in the complex, so I think she will pick it up again.” As the conversation draws to a close, Zelda asks Lizzie about her hobbies, eager to share more information about her niece. Lizzie, in the background, shouts in sheer delight, “Running and playing!”

“This case highlights the devastating consequences of drug trafficking on children’s lives. We are grateful for international cooperation and everyone involved in bringing this child home safely,” said Ms. Ntsenge. The DSD worked closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on this case.

Ms. Ntsenge also warned citizens to fight against drug trafficking and protect children from exploitation. In closing, she emphasised that following this successful repatriation, the Department would ensure that reunification services are provided. This includes follow-up on the child’s school enrolment, application for foster care grants, and more. Ongoing support and counselling will be offered by the Department to ensure Lizzie’s successful reintegration into society.

*Names were changed to protect the identity of the child.