The African Children’s Project & Orphans in Africa
There are approximately over 20 million children, under the age of 15, that have lost one or both parents through HIV/AIDS in Africa(Unicef, 10). Those children are usually brought to orphanages that are placed in certain areas around Africa. A great deal of the orphanages are ran by Christian organizations and have the under lying message of Christ in their homes. The African Children’s Project is one of the many orphanages open in Africa that was founded by Christians. Orphanages and children homes, like The African Children’s Project, provide the three main needs for orphaned children: physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, which are made possible through the help of funding and donations.
The African Children’s Project is one of the hundreds of orphanages that are located in Africa, but this one is extra special. (N.P) The African Children’s Project was founded in 2006 in response to the growing AIDS crisis. There are currently three couples on the Board of Directors; they are Alex and Charity Mbuthia, Samuel and Mary Kiboi, and Jeff and Melanie Freshour. All of them live around or in Charlotte, North Carolina and they all have felt led to become a part of something much bigger than themselves(N.P) The orphanages of The African Children’s Project are located in Kenya, as of now, and are ran by families that have felt led to move there and make a difference.
The orphanages receive children because they have lost one or both of their parents to, more than likely, HIV/AIDS. Orphans that have lost both parents are referred to as “double orphans”(Unicef, 11). In the African culture, if a child looses both parents then a grandparent will step in and take care of the child...
... middle of paper ...
...can Children’s Project is one of many orphanages that are doing that. All of those type of homes are making a huge difference, daily, to the lives of the orphans in Africa. Orphanages and children homes, like The African Children’s Project, provide the three main needs for orphaned children: physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, which are made possible through the help of funding and donations.
Works Cited
. N.p.. Web. 25 Mar 2014.
Sengendo, James, and Janet Nambi. "The Psychological Effect of Orphanhood: A Study of Orphans in Rakai District." . Health Transition Review, n.d. Web. 25 Mar 2014. .
Unicef, . "Africa's Orphaned Generations." . The Untied Nations Children's Fund(UNICEF), n.d. Web. 25 Mar 2014. .
Thousands of books and essays about poverty, causes and possible fixes have been written for others to gain an understanding and pocket a little bit of knowledge so this can soon be fixed. There are millions of organizations in today’s world that beg for money, clothes, and food so they can be sent overseas to help a poor child in Uganda or Haiti. Helping nationwide is always a good thing to be a part of; however, there are many things that can be done in each person’s community, which is always a great place to start.
Imagine meeting for the first time your mother and father. This surprise encounter is a reality for children in adoption agencies. Adoption is the legal process of permanently placing a child into the care of parents (or a parent) who are not the child's biological parents. In the adoption process, the biological parents agree to give up all parental rights and responsibilities, which then transfer to the adoptive parents. (Sheposh, 2017) The adoption process back then in the mid-century was seen as a thing to stop child welfare. Many people viewed adoption as unacceptable and not a good idea. “Children and youth go into adoption care for a variety of reasons: A parent may be unable to provide a safe, stable home or unable to provide the type
From that perspective, I will highlight the following programs that Save the Children does here in the United States alone. This organization have four main programs. First is health and nutrition, second is education, third is emergencies, and fourth is hunger and livelihoods. For health and nutrition, Save the Children is visiting schools, and other institutions giving lessons about balanced food and healthy food choices. In addition, education contributes 22% of their main programs. They have school-based literacy programs for disadvantaged students from kindergarten through 6th grade, specifically in reading, math, and science. They also provide tools and support schools in this advocacy. Another, in times of emergencies like natural disasters, Save the Children is visible. During the floods in the Gulf Coast region, they were there to give emergency assistance. The organization provide child-focused emergency plans, trainings, and emergency resources in preparation for coming disasters. Moreover, on the hunger and livelihoods aspect, the organization believes in not just giving fish, they also teach families how to fish. This in my opinion, is commendable. Not all organization have this advocacy. It promotes families to stand and support their families and not just depend on aids from private and public sectors.
International adoption was once considered a solution for children of all ages who were abandoned, mistreated, or simply needed a safe home. In recent years, international adoption made the transition from a worthy solution to a last possible option. Arguers against international adoption claim that there is a better solution; which consists of withholding the within the orphanages and institutions until there is a home available in the country of origin. They believe that placing a child in a permanent home in a shorter amount of time isn’t worth depriving them from experiencing their native country and heritage. Not only has this argument become more evident throughout the media, but also through statistics. For instance, in 2004, there were 22,991 adoptions by US families; in 2012 there were only 8,668 (US Department of State; Luscombe, International Adoptions pg.3). As the international adoption rates decrease, so does the number of children without a permanent home; this can result in potentially traumatic effects on the child.
When we hear the word “orphan” we imagine a child whose parents have both died tragic deaths. Indeed, there were plenty of these pitiable creatures in Victorian society – the living and working conditions of the poor were so unsanitary and crowded that diseases such as typhus and tuberculosis often spread unchecked, sending many of their victims to the grave (Czarnik, “Living Conditions”). However, children were often considered “orphans” if they had one surviving parent, had been abandoned by their family, or were forced out into the world because of overcrowding at home (Cunningham, “Orphan Texts”). In 1861, it is estimated that 11% of children had lost a father by the age of 10, 11% a mother, and 1% had lost both parents (Czarnik).
Within the first year of opening they had helped fifty-two girls see their greatness and help them strive for a better future.Mr. Don J. Brewster was the pastor for a catholic church in Sacramento,California. He went on his first trip to Cambodia in 2005, which was to see the missions his church has been supporting for years. Upon arrival to Svay Pak the only issue only seemed to be poverty, he played with the children, visited the pastors from the missions, and went back on his way home. The next day, after he arrived home, he turned on the news, and the headline story on NBC was “Children For ...
UNICEF, United Nations Children’s Fund, is a nonprofit organization, founded by the United Nations General Assembly in 1946 in New York. Initially, UNICEF was created to provide temporary emergency help like medications, nutrition and clothes to children in the destroyed after World War 2 countries. In 1953 UNICEF became a permanent organization which has been supported by voluntary contributions and donations. Today UNICEF operates in 190 countries all over the world, saving and improving children’s lives and protecting their rights. It also provides healthcare, immunizations, food, education and emergency relief. “The number of children dying every day from all preventable causes has declined to about 19,000, down from 33,000 in 1991. At the U.S. Fund for UNICEF we won’t stop at “fewe...
Voight, Kevin. “international adoption: saving orphans or child trafficking”. Cnn news. 18 September 2013. Web. 24 march 2014. www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/world/international-adoption-saving-orphans-trafficking/.
An eight or nine year old boy with dirt in his face, wearing ripped jeans, shoes and a dirty shirt doing his best to stop one of a thousand cars in order for him to wash the windshields of a car for a miserable wage. This young man was struggling to carry a large container with soap and water and a small red rug which he held with his small, left hand. His facial expression revealed fear, doubt and resignation. The inside of me wanted to cry and at the same time, I wanted to take him with me and give him a warm cup of milk. He looked as if he had not eaten anything for days. As he approached our car the other drivers would curse him and tell him to disappear from this world. With a sad glimpse, he kept his journey towards our car. His big and dark brown eyes expressed pain, dismay, and despair. Heartbreaking stories similar to this one are most commonly occurring in the urban metropolis of Mexico and Latin America. These children suffer from the abandonment of their family and the economic issues of the country; moreover they are deprived to health care, exposed to violence, drugs, and HIV through sexual promiscuity. Street kids are not choosing to live in abandoned buildings, cardboard boxes, parks or on the street itself; they are forced to take on the challenges of life that no other human being experiences in many years. Therefore, street children should be helped due to the constant marginalization.
January 12th, 2010 is a day in Haiti history that no one will forget; a 7.3 magnitude earthquake left a huge impact on Haiti. In the wake of this devastating earthquake hundreds of children were left without homes and families were destroyed. “International adoption agencies, adoption advocacy groups, and government Web sites were over whelmed by calls and e-mails” (Seabrook). Within days of the earthquake, many American families began enquiring about adopting a child from Haiti. A selfless act like adoption turned into a controversy over human rights and caused many to voice concerns about adopting internationally.
Throughout our world, hundreds upon thousands of children are kept in orphanages. These children, who have no home, no parents, and no siblings to play with, are kept in a place where all they have left is their childhood; and even that is taken away from them in these living hells. Most people would define the word orphanage as a public or private institution for the care and protection of children without parents. However, this definition is far from what orphanages actually are. Orphanages do not institute care and protection for the orphans, but instead abuse them and make their lives miserable.
Poverty extends out over all continents, making it the most widespread negative factor. Out of the world’s 2.2 billion children, approximately half live in poverty according to UNICEF. Poverty claims approximately 22,000 children’s lives per day. This statistic illustrates the struggle children that live in poverty must face in order to survive. Poverty is a root cause of hunger, disease, and lack of shelter. It is concentrated in pockets in areas such as South Africa and South Asia. Children, who must...
While images of starving orphans may touch the hearts of wealthy westerners, those same images may be deceiving the viewers to achieve higher donation rates. The cash is then distributed in a way that the organizations see fit. The donor learns nothing about the political and economical structure in the third world country that they have “supported,” and they continue about their day with no knowledge of where their money actually ended up. There is a lack of education, and as a result the financial gap between the rich and the poor continues to increase.
"World Vision - Sponsor a Child Now." Sponsor a Child < Home - Help for Haiti Earthquake Relief, Donate Now | World Vision. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2010. .
UNICEF helps children get the care they need in the early years of life and helps families to educate girls and boys. It try’s to reduce childhood death and illness and to protect children in the middle of war or a natural disaster. UNICEF supports young people, wherever they are, in making decisions about their own lives, and try’s to build a world in which all children live with dignity and security.