Family is best place for orphans, vulnerable children

The Daily Times
Malawi's Premier Daily

BY The Daily Times
13:13:55 - 01 April 2008

The extended family system that is practice in Malawi is sometimes vilified for the simple reason of rampant poverty in the country as members of this far reaching unit, including orphans, end up sharing the meagre resources that they have.

But this extended family system-where members who are relatives of the same clan or family group live interdependently-remains the best home for growing orphans and vulnerable children.

It is a known fact that various diseases including HIV/Aids pandemic, and other unfortunate circumstances, have created phenomenal numbers of orphans in the country. Our society is virtually struggling to grapple with this predicament.

This predicament has seen the mushrooming of various institutions called orphanages which want to absorb these orphans from the society.

Read More..........

-------------------------

I am concerned that the author of the above article is generalizing in their commentary. While I have not been blessed to visit Malawi, I do believe that the conditions there are similar to what you might find in Zambia. I have been honored to visit Zambia numerous times, and am involved in building an Orphanage there called House of Faith Orphanage. Please consider the following.

I have had the opportunity to visit with these extended families –as mentioned in this paper, and in the very rural areas of Zambia. I happen to agree with the above article in that the best place for these children are in a home with their extended family, however, many times these extended families are not willing or just can't support these children.

Let me give you an example of a boy we'll call Jones. We were invited to visit him by his extended family, to consider that he may be received into our House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia. The young boy was being cared for by a young girl, I would guess she was 19, and he hadn't been attending school. This young girl was also caring for three younger children of her own. Jones had been the responsibility of his uncle for the last several years -with both of his parents passing. Jones has an older brother of 12 years of age, but his family never suggested that he live at the orphanage. Do you know why the older boy was never mentioned to us? The family didn't want to lose the service of the family shepherd boy. Not that we could have accepted him (we never made an assessment), but isn’t it interesting that family decided that it was in their best interest to keep the older brother. This 12 year boy will have limited options, little if any education, and his future will consist of working with livestock in his local community for the rest of his days. Now if he chooses to do this, that's his business, however, is this future really his choice?

So, let's say that this family's issue was only financial, how would any accountability take place -a distribution of additional resources to this family? Conversely, can't an Orphanage be much like a traditional home, with local people having the responsibility for caring for these children?

I have read that over 60% of Zambian homes are involved in caring for an Orphan. With this many homes, dispersed over a large area, how could resources be effectively distributed and accounted for? In addition, why can this Orphanage care take place in the local communities, which will allow for some oversight?

I don't think the answers are black and white, and the options available will be dependent on the local environment in which these underprivileged children live.

I do believe that our goal should be to allow these children to live versus just exist -by whatever means is effective. Unfortunately, I have also visited what I thought to be -less than proficient Orphanages.

See http://www.worldorphanrelief.org/ for more information in the House of Faith Orphanage.