Across the world, millions of children are abandoned, orphaned, or forgotten, as one or both of their parents/caregivers have deceased. Unlike what people think, a child can get orphaned when one parent lives but is not able to care for the child. There are more than 150 million children worldwide who have lost either one or both of their parents. Of these, 95 percent are over 5 years old.
Why do children get orphaned?
Poverty, disabilities, and discrimination
Many families struggle to feed two square meals to their children. They may face many struggles to survive, including disabilities, housing challenges, lack of work opportunities, and so on. Other parents might be drug or alcohol addicts or may not have the means to care for the child. In such cases, many children turn up abandoned or given to orphanages.
Lack of social services
Community-based preventive care is crucial for the well-being of all children. When social workers lack the training to care for the children, they use orphanages as the first resort as a solution to people’s problems. However, orphanages need to be seen as the last resort, after trying everything to help the family care for the child. The social worker has to counsel the family and help them earn a good livelihood. Many of them do not have the training for the same.
Vested interests
Generous donors to orphanages usually give donations on a per-child basis. That means every orphanage needs to have a minimum threshold of children to work with. In essence, the more children in orphanages, the more budgets it can attract. Many unethical orphanages ensure the kids are kept there so that they can siphon off money at their expense. This form of corruption done while people donate to orphans defeats the purpose of the orphanage, the main reason being they can stand on their own two feet after turning 18.
War, internal instability, and epidemics
Children living in war zones are most prone to get orphaned and abandoned. When parents die due to any war-related cause, the children are the most affected and orphaned. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic saw more than a million children losing one or both of their parents.
What can be done for them?
Donate money to organizations working for them
The least we can do for orphans is donate to non-profit organizations that work for the betterment of children. Though there are many NGOs who work tirelessly for orphans, some have got a bad reputation for mismanagement and corruption.
If you really want to help orphans worldwide, you will need to first vet the NGO so that the money your donations are not going to the wrong hands. At the Catholic Connect Foundation, we do this for you, we ensure your money is going in the right hands for the right purposes.
Adopt an Orphan
The second thing you can do is adopt an orphan and raise him as your own. Many people inquire about adopting children from abroad. UNICEF and other NGOs have their own set of rules for this. The main consideration seen is the child’s interest, whether you can provide for the child and care for him sans any chance of exploitation or discrimination. Though it takes months before you can adopt a child, these background checks are necessary for the child’s welfare and wellbeing.
Summing Up
Though most of us may not notice it, many orphaned children across the world need our attention. They lack the care, love, and education needed to survive and thrive in this world.
With war, famine, addictions, and the pandemic affecting the poor the most, we must help the disadvantaged. By donating, you get God’s blessings for a better life for you and them.
Donate now. Even a small sum of $10 per month can help educate, feed, and care for disadvantaged children.
