Why we need to end the era of orphanages | Tara Winkler

TL;DR

This content highlights the issue of unnecessary institutionalization of children and promotes family-based care as a solution.

Transcript

These are some photos of me volunteering in a Cambodian orphanage in 2006. When these photos were taken, I thought I was doing a really good thing and that I was really helping those kids. I had a lot to learn. It all started for me when I was 19 years old and went backpacking through Southeast Asia. When I reached Cambodia, I felt uncomfortable be... Read More

Key Insights

• 📸 Volunteering in a Cambodian orphanage in 2006 seemed like a good deed, but the experience exposed the corrupt and abusive nature of many orphanages in Cambodia.
• 🙏 The number of orphanages and children living in orphanages in Cambodia has significantly increased, but the majority of these children are not orphans; they come from poor families.
• 🌍 This problem is not limited to Cambodia; there has been a rise in residential care institutions globally, which has negative effects on children's mental health, development, and ability to reintegrate into society.
• 🔎 Research shows that children raised in institutions are at greater risk of mental illnesses, attachment disorders, and struggles with parenting.
• 🔒 The tourist industry inadvertently fuels the rise of orphanages, as visitors provide financial support to these institutions that separate children from their families.
• 🔄 The solution lies in redirecting support and donations away from orphanages and towards organizations committed to family-based care, which has proven to be more successful in breaking the cycle of poverty.
• 🗣️ Raising awareness and advocating for family-based care is crucial in putting an end to unnecessary institutionalization of vulnerable children.
• 🏠 With family-based care, children like Torn, who once lived in an abusive orphanage, have the opportunity to thrive within their families and break the cycle of poverty.

Questions & Answers

Q: What made the narrator feel compelled to do more to help the children in the Cambodian orphanage?

The narrator felt compelled to do more to help the children in the Cambodian orphanage because she discovered the orphanage was desperately poor, lacking sufficient funds for food, clean water, and medical treatment. The sad and heartbreaking faces of the children motivated her to take further action.

Q: How did the narrator contribute to helping the orphanage and the children?

The narrator fundraised in Australia and returned to Cambodia the following year to volunteer at the orphanage for a few months. She taught English, purchased water filters and food, and took the children to the dentist for the first time in their lives. She also worked with local authorities to set up a new orphanage and rescue the kids from the corrupt director.

Q: What did the narrator uncover about the children in the Cambodian orphanage?

The narrator discovered that most of the children she helped were not actually orphans. Many of them had parents or other living relatives, but were living in the orphanage due to poverty. This revelation made her question why children who were not orphans were being institutionalized in orphanages.

Q: What are the risks associated with placing children in residential care institutions?

International research spanning over six decades has shown that children who grow up in institutions, even the best ones, are at serious risk of developing mental illnesses, attachment disorders, growth and speech delays. They often struggle with reintegration into society, forming healthy relationships, and parenting their own children. Additionally, they are more likely to engage in sex work, have criminal records, and exhibit higher suicide rates.

Q: What is the main contributor to the unnecessary institutionalization of children?

The narrator highlights that tourists, volunteers, and donors who visit these institutions and provide support unknowingly contribute to the boom in unnecessary institutionalization. The more money and support these institutions receive, the more they open, leading to the removal of children from their families. Tourist hotspots often have a concentration of these institutions, fueled by well-meaning but unaware visitors.

Q: How did the narrator's organization, the Cambodian Children's Trust (CCT), address the problem?

The CCT changed its model from being an orphanage to focusing on family-based care. They work within communities to address social issues and help vulnerable families escape poverty. Their primary goal is to prevent family separations, but in cases where it's not possible, they support children in foster care. Family-based care is always preferred over institutional placement.

Q: How has the family-based care model been successful?

The family-based care model implemented by the Cambodian Children's Trust (CCT) has been highly successful. It has resulted in breaking the cycle of poverty for many families, providing them with stability and opportunities for growth. The model's success has led to its adoption as a national solution by UNICEF Cambodia and the Cambodian government to keep children in families.

Q: How can individuals support the shift towards family-based care and end unnecessary institutionalization?

By redirecting support and donations away from orphanages and residential care institutions towards organizations committed to keeping children in families, individuals can help solve this problem. Raising awareness and advocating for family-based care is crucial. The goal is to ensure that vulnerable children everywhere have access to what they need and deserve – a family.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker initially volunteered in a Cambodian orphanage, but later discovered corruption and abuse within the institution.

• The speaker learned that the majority of children in orphanages are not actually orphans, but come from poor families.

• The speaker advocates for family-based care over institutionalization and encourages redirecting donations towards organizations that support keeping children in families.