BANNING OF ORPHANAGES IN UGANDA

Orphanages refer to homes or institutions where orphans and vulnerable children stay and are given basic needs. Banning orphanages in Uganda will affect the number of orphans, vulnerable children, and those with disabilities.

There are around 12.3% of orphan children in Uganda, where 420,000 have lost a mother,1,330,000 lost a father but around 402,500 of these children have lost both mother and father and are either left to live with their extended families or end up in orphanages. There are so many orphanage homes in Uganda that try to help the orphans in Uganda to attain the basic needs of life.

Although there are advantages given to an orphan while in an orphanage home that is to say; access to health care, sponsorship to quality education, provision of basic needs like food, clothing, shoes, child empowerment, and skills to the child.

Creation of orphanages.

No parent would wish to have his or her child placed in an orphanage but some conditions are unavoidable and these force them to take them there as mentioned below.

Wars or natural disasters, discrimination, and disability plus the problems that come with it. These force the desperately poor parents to seek help from whoever would provide it to them. And if no one is found the only option left is to take their children to orphanages where they are promised better living conditions.

Limited or no access to health and social care by the parents to their children also leaves them with no choice. It’s very painful to see your child sick. And you don’t have the money to take her or him to the hospital. And when somebody wants to give a hand you welcome it with open arms. Without giving it a second thought hence a child ends up in an orphanage home.

However,

there are other effects of orphanages that are leading to their closer in Uganda. And below are some of the reasons as to why they are at a point of closer by the government of Uganda.

Some orphanages are involved in the trafficking of children to a foreigner who comes in as volunteers to help the orphans. Many orphanages operate with little regulation and put the children at risk of sexual exploitation. And many are primary generating institutions not taking care of children. Transnational and domestic trafficking is not as much are of a sexual purpose. Hence this act is forcing the government to close out the orphanages. And have the children taken back to the families.

The owners aim at making profits from orphanages. That is to say, the owns walk around the villages looking for orphans to support. Some donors to support may need a certain number of children in an orphanage. before the money can start flowing. And once the money starts flowing in the children are provided for little or nothing for their welfare. Hence leaving them in bad conditions. When the donor or funder comes around to look at how the orphanage is doing, finds out that nothing has been done. He or she is forced to go to the authorities to report thus spoiling the image of the country.

Furthermore,

Some of the staff at the orphanages are not qualified to take care of children with special needs. That is to say, an orphanage should have a qualified registered nurse, a social worker for those between the age of one day to five years. Aged 5 to 18 years so there should be social work for every eight children. And this is missing in some of the orphanages in Uganda. So the government is forced to close them out.

The government of Uganda says that orphanages are spoiling the image of the country to the outside world. Many orphanages get their funds from foreign countries in terms of donor aid, volunteering. The country is positioned in a way that it cannot support its citizens so it needs a hand from foreign countries. So the government is working so hard to close out the orphanages to repair its image.

Some orphans are forced into child labor by the owners of the orphanages. They are sent to different streets in Kampala to get money or collect money for people. This also leads to other criminal activities like stealing from people who pass by. Since each is supposed to bring a certain amount of money as the day comes to an end. Due to this, the government has been forced to close up some orphanages in the country.

However,

the banning of orphanages in Uganda will have both a positive and negative impact. On both the orphanages and the country as well. Below are some of the positive impacts banning of orphanages in Uganda.

There will be proper planning for the orphans in the country. The government will be forced to create a budget that will help to facilitate the needs of the orphans. This would help the orphans not to feel left out in the development of the country.

It may lead to an improved employment system in Uganda. That is to say, the government will be able to create and plan for the population in the employment system. And make a standard salary payment so everyone will be able to improve their standards of living.

Negative impacts of banning orphanages.

The banning of orphanages in Uganda will lead to an increased number of homeless or street children or homeless children in Uganda. Orphanages act as homes for the orphans and street children. And once those are closed, many will end up homeless which will increase the crime rate. For example thief, robbery in the country.

There will be an increased rate of illiteracy in the country. The orphanage provides education for vulnerable children by enrolling them into schools, institutions. And vocational schools with the money got using donations, charity fundraising. This enables the child to get the education he or she needs to get his dream job or profession.

There will be an increase in unemployment among the people. The orphanage employs several people that is to say cleaners, social workers, qualified nurses, social media workers, marketing. All these will remain unemployed once they close.

Briefly,

banning orphanages in Uganda may not be the solution to the problems faced by orphans and children with special needs. What should be done by the government is to create rules. And terms that should be followed when setting up an orphanage in the country. Helping in financing them to avoid relying only on donations and charity fundraising. Offering support to people affected by natural disasters and conflicts to avoid parents from sending them to orphanages. Donate to us or sponsor a child at Love Uganda Foundation to ensure their welfare.