Why Children should grow up in Families and not Orphanages
Mohamed “Nabs” Nabieu |
TEDxUSW
• April 2021
There is no doubt that we all want to create a better tomorrow for vulnerable
children and families out of the prison of poverty. The question is: How can
we make that tomorrow truly holistic, empowering, and sustainable? My
experience growing up in institutional care has taught me the importance of
family for all children. As the director of that orphanage, I discovered the
biggest root cause that puts children in orphanages: POVERTY!
Which problem are we solving with orphanages - the root causes or the
symptoms of poverty? If we desire to create a holistic tomorrow for children,
we need to ensure their right to family and address the poverty that
separates families. In order to ensure that children have a brighter and more
successful tomorrow, we must make three fundamental shifts:
● We must let go of the orphanage model and prioritize children in
families. By reunifying the family, we make them whole. Through
family strengthening programs we build their capacity to
manage on their own. Children thrive in families, where they
have a true sense of belonging.
● We must shift from hand out to hand up approaches that prepare,
equip, and empower families toward independence, where they
can thrive with dignity rather than being stuck and dependent.
● And we must shift from telling people what we think they need to
ask the right questions. It’s about empowering families to define
what a successful tomorrow looks like for them and then providing
them the tools they need to get there.