Kate McDevitt
Domestic Life & Adoption


Problems- Street Children & Orphans:
 

      Worldwide, an estimated 100 million children have been abandoned and live either on the streets or in orphanages. Eighty percent of these children live in the third world. And while street children are considered to be no different from vermin, orphanages in some regions allow children to live no better. Below is a chart which shows some examples of abandonment of children in various countries:

Abandoned Children Worldwide

Country

Problems

Columbia More than 30,000 children are abandoned because of poverty; some are sent to live and work on the streets, while others are abandoned completely.
China There are roughly 1-3 million orphans for only 40,000 orphanages. Still, 2/5 of all children in orphanages die. Almost all of these orphans are girls or boys with disabilities, and are treated poorly with over five children to a small crib, tied to posts, left unattended, or left to die when sick.
Egypt Abandoned children are left to die in hospitals or receive no charity at all, assumed to be born out of wedlock.
Guatamala As is the case throughout Latin America, there is a large population of street children who are mistreated by police, society, or even targets of massacres.
Hungary There are more than 22,000 children abandoned(some in orphanages), most of which are children of Gypsies and up for foreign adoption only(unwanted in the country).
India There are over 18 million street children in India, and orphanages throughout the country are filled. Many of these children are also unwanted girls. India is considered to have the largest population of orphans in the world, and in the most need of help.
Romania There are nearly 2,500 street children, and roughly 100,000 children in orphanages or private shelters. However, over 80% of the children still have ties to their parents.
former Soviet Union More than 650,000 abandoned children are being cared for in state orphanages, though there is also an abundant presence of street children. Based on Moscow studies, one out of three children in the orphanage system die before adolescence. Two out of three orphans commit crimes and many girls become prostitutes by the time they are teenagers, and 10% who make it to that age commit suicide.
Zambia More than 360,000 children(10% the total population) of have lost one parent or both to AIDS and AIDS-related diseases. This is very much the trend throughout Africa.
Zimbabwe Hospitals get an average of 20 babies abandoned daily.

<boy picks through the trash>
  <girl with basket in front of trash pile>
 
In Calcutta, street children search through trash for plastic to sell so they will have money to eat with.

            Children living and working on the streets is a wide-spread phenomenon throughout the third world. It is estimated that there are 200 million street children in the world today, many of whom are not considered to be abandoned because they are still tied to their families. The number one cause of children on the streets is rapid industrialization and urbanization, coupled with economic problems. Family or social problems is another reason, usually also coupled with family living and economic conditions. Many children are sent to the streets because the family cannot afford to support them; on the streets, the children will be forced to work, and that brings an extra income to the family with one less mouth to feed. Many children, such as those in the Philippines or Romania(80%) still have parents, though they live on the streets.
<Graph of Street Children Reasons>
Graph created from data in "Causes and characteristics of the street child phenomenon: a global perspective"(8)
As seen in the last section, abuse is a growing concern for children in the third world. In Nepal, where 60% of the population is below the poverty line, street children admit that abuse/neglect is the number one reason for their situation (as seen on the graph). The second most popular reason was the attractiveness of city life; street children form very tight groups, with a social structure of their own. The fact that most reasons given for becoming a street child are socially-oriented suggests that though children have basic needs, they are not even receiving the basics of love and caring from their family surroundings. This data comes from a 1990 study in Kathmandu, Nepal, which also looked at some of what the street children suffer. Many are: left without families and parents, involved in antisocial activities and theft, struggle and beg to meet basic needs such as food, and exploited by employers.
On the streets, the children face many hardships and suffer from a variety of fates. In other parts of the world, street children are: sold into industries (sweatshops, sex industry), abused by authorities or gangs, lonely and neglected and suffer psychological damage, search for garbage to eat or sell, malnourished and growth stunted, addicted to drugs, and uneducated. They are left with little means of living, and littler chance to advance themselves or break out of the cycle. In Nairobi, Kenya, there were an estimated 88,000 street children in 2001, with numbers growing by 10% every year. 60% of street boys have health problems associated with taking drugs, 30% of street girls have HIV/AIDS, and 90% of street girls have some sexually transmitted disease. And as they are uneducated and live in the poorest of conditions, heath problems are only more likely to spread throughout the groups of children.
  
       For the third world’s orphans, life is not much better. The many reasons children become abandoned have previously been discussed to some extent (poverty, cultural views, social problems, abuse/neglect, etc.) However, there are additional reasons children become orphans. There are 13 million children orphaned due to AIDS. The two major reasons for this are one, having one or both parents die of AIDS, with no one left (or no one willing) to care for them, and two, testing positive at birth for HIV/AIDS (contracted from parents). In many cases, children give a “false-positive”) but by the time this is discovered, the children are already abandoned. Another cause of orphans in the world is warfare. Children can lose fathers who are fighting, or whole families who are caught in the crossfire. Children can also be separated while on the run, or at refugee camps, losing families to disease. Many children who have been orphaned are left to the streets. But quite a few are taken in by orphanages (the numbers and percentages vary greatly throughout the world, however).
While many orphanages make great strides in helping, there are a number which are actually hurting the children they house. In a Russian orphanage, conditions are described to be quite bleak and unsanitary with not enough beds and not enough food and restraints on most beds of children simply left to die. This is just as shocking as many state orphanages in China where when unwanted young girls get sick they are put in special rooms to die rather than have treatments wasted on them. Because of the large number of orphans, and the small number of people to care for them, even the ones who live get little attention and little food. Girls are frequently abused by being placed in restraints and garments to enforce an appealing body form, making it impossible for them to move. If not adopted (as many children are not) children must leave the orphanages when they reach a certain age which varies from country to country. Afterwards, they are not prepared to be adults, having poor health and little-to-no education. There is usually nowhere to go but the streets. <Chinese orphan girl in a restraining seat>
Sometimes it is not as clear-cut as horrible abuse and neglect in orphanages. The Frank Foundation: Child Assistance International has recently been in the news for a “wrongful adoption” lawsuit, involving claims that an adopted child was healthy when really it suffered from mild mental retardation and seizures. Whatever the outcome of this particular example, such news dissuades families worldwide from adopting internationally. As you can see, there are also a number of problems associated with adoption. In Russia, cultural fears that orphaned children are imperfect prevent many able families from taking in a child. Children in orphanages are looked upon in many countries as diseased and deformed rejects; even in core countries, families tend to select children from orphanages who are of utmost health rather than those with simple and many times correctable problems. There are also problems associated with actually getting the child. There may be troubles in immigration, or political issues may cause a family to wait months or years before being united with their child. One example of this is that INS has banned adopted Cambodian children from entering the country in order to investigate a few cases of possible stolen or sold children. When a child is adopted, there are a number of significant difficulties in adjusting as well. An adopted child is not used to having personal items, or constant attention especially from adults. He is used to having many other children around (forming tight social groups) and sometimes sharing a bed with more than one. He might not have an education or proper health care, he might not have ever been part of a family unit, and if he was in a family he may have been abused or suffer post-traumatic stress. In international adoption, cultural differences are even more difficult to overcome, though certainly not impossible. Obviously, there are barriers in language, food and cultural situations. A child might not ever have ridden in a car, or seen a grocery store, or even been to a doctor’s office.

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Solutions- Orphanages & Adoption Programs:
 

<Mats and happy learning girls>
UK tennis star Mats Wilander visits
GOAL Street Children's Program in Calcuta.
Though there are many problems facing street children and orphans, there are also many programs and organizations which are making a difference in their lives. To address the problems facing street children in Kenya, Homeless Children International-Kenya has a number of programs. These include shelters for street children, the CCU-Makina shelter for street girls to deal with girl-specific issues, and outreach programs like “street offices” to show the children there are people who care about them. Many volunteers, good planning and support has made these programs a success. The Street Children of Nepal Trust likewise targets children on the street, providing them with food, health care and even the ability to get an education. GOAL, an Ireland-based non-profit organization works in Africa, Asia, Central America and Eastern Europe, to support children with the fundamentals of life. They receive funding from a number of sponsors, enabling them to make a large impact in many countries. They have a specific program for helping street children in Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Honduras, Uganda and India. There are also a number of organizations which look to help orphans, specifically. Buckner Orphan Care International looks to improve orphanages around the world by giving supplies, supporting foster care, providing education, and much more. Many organizations such as the Kondanai Village and Nyumbani provide care and shelter to Africa’s AIDS orphans. Small NGO’s, community-cased organizations, and churches are first to respond to this problem by supplying food & water, finding foster families, supporting children-headed households, and placing them in orphanages only as a last resort.
Though there are cases of unhealthy living conditions or abuse, there are certainly orphanages around the world which provide well for their children. A large listing of orphanages throughout the world can be found at http://www.orphanage.org/. Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos cares for thousands of children in Latin America, providing care, structure, even education and work ethics(in the form of daily chores such as dusting). The Sunrise Children’s Village works in Cambodia to provide orphans with food, support, hammocks to sleep in, culture, and even education and toys.

<children using computers> <children filling up bowls for lunch>
Computer classes and lunch-time at The Sunrise Children's village

<Group of children at Kip Keino Children's Home in Africa which provides for AIDS orphans in housing, health, and education.>

<Group of young children at a Romanian orphanage who are being cared for.>

       Adoption is the most immediate and drastic change in a child’s life. There are many international adoption agencies which link desiring families with orphanages. Agencies help with required legalities, paperwork, and allow perspective parents opportunities to ask questions or even visit their child. The Yunona Orphan Relief Fund is an example of such a program, helping with adoptions from Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Ukraine. It also serves as a network after adoption for current news and fundraisers. Orphans Overseas Christian Adoption Agency is another example, providing support for international adoptions, aid, and more. "Intercountry adoption is a relatively recent phenomenon, which picked up momentum after the Korean War. In 1996, Americans adopted a record number of 11,340 children from other countries. This number represents an increase of 1,600 children in one year. The top countries of origin in 1996 were China (3,388), Russia (2,454), Korea (1,516), Romania (555), Guatemala (427), and India (380)"(18). This chart shows trends and figures in international adoptions.
Number of Adoptions per country, per fiscal year
Country 1990 1993 1996
Bolivia 30 124 33
Brazil 228 161 103
Bulgaria 3 133 163
Cambodia 15 1 32
China 29 330 3,333
Colombia 631 426 255
Costa Rica 105 48 20
Dominican Republic 58 39 13
El Salvador 103 100 17
Ethiopia 18 30 44
Guatemala 257 512 427
Haiti 64 51 68
India 348 331 380
Jamaica 28 48 34
Japan 57 64 36
abridged chart is from The Adoption Sourcebook(15)
Number of Adoptions per country, per fiscal year
Country 1990 1993 1996
Korea 2,620 1,775 1,516
Latvia 0 15 77
Lithuania 0 24 73
Mexico 112 91 76
Paraguat 282 412 258
Peru 440 224 17
Philippines 421 360 229
Poland 166 70 62
Romania 121 97 555
Russia 0 746 2,545
Taiwan 66 32 19
Thailand 100 69 55
Ukraine 0 273 1
Vietnam 52 110 354
World Total 7,093 7,377 11,340
<Children and their parents at Camp Lotus celebrate Holi, the Indian festival of colors, by throwing paint on each other.> Many adoption agencies and other organizations also provide follow-up support for families who have adopted children. This can include networking, therapy, and more. There are also ways for internationally adopted children to experience their native culture, which many times adoptive parents are quite supportive of. "Camp Lotus" is a weekend camp in PA for families with children adopted from India. During the weekend, children are able to socialize with others of similar background as well as get immersed in Indian culture from clothing to crafts to food.


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Personal Story

<Jung Min before picture> “In March 1987, Jung Min arrived at her new home in Christiansburg, VA. She made the trip with her new mother, Better Umberger, who went to Korea to get her. Jung Min now lives with her mother, father, and older sister, Sadie. Jung Min was a “Waiting Child” featured in the Welcomer Summer 1986 issue. She was living at Ilsan and had been diagnosed was having a hypothyroid condition. This year, her medical condition under control, Jung Min is in kindergarten where she has made many new friends. She is anxious to go to school each morning and her English is becoming stronger daily. With her sister, Sadie, she is active in the Brownie Scouts and marched with her troop in the Christmas parade. Jung Min’s Welcome House social worker, Sue Bentley says, ‘she is a very happy child and one of the most amazing developments to watch has been her increasing physical abilities.’”
~The Welcomer (5)
<Jung Min after picture>

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Conclusion:
 

            There are many challenges facing children simply in the way they are able to live in the third world. Problems include cultural views and traditions, poor living conditions, unstable and abusive families, streets of orphaned or abandoned children, and poorly run centers for adoption. But for as many problems as exist, there are many who have taken it upon themselves to make a difference to these children in many different ways. Some fight for rights, others raise awareness, some just donate money. But there are a number of organizations and programs which have been established to help children in many ways. First and foremost is UNICEF, who leads the way in educating and providing support. But as seen in this section as well as others, there are many organizations large and small which are dealing with domestic problems children face. The proof that they are working are the faces seen through out this section, the children cared for, the children who are taken in, the children who have survived when alone they could not have.


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Back

Resources used for the domestic life and adoption section (Page 3): 

  1. "Abandoned Children and Infants" , Justin D. Long, Monday Morning Reality Check, 1998.
  2. About Nairobi's Street Kids , Homeless Children International- Kenya, from the Short-Term Volunteer Manual , May 2001
  3. Adoption Resources International , non-profit organization that fascilitates international adoption.
  4. "Adoptive Parents Have Hope" , Beacon Journal, March 3, 2002.
  5. "An Update on Jung Min", The Welcomer: Welcome House Adoption Services, No.1, Winter, 1988.
  6. Buckner Orphan Care International, non-profit organization.
  7. Calcutta's Street Children, part of GOAL.
  8. "Causes and characteristics of the street child phenomenon: a global perspective", Johann Le Roux, Cheryl Sylvia Smith. Adolescense. Fall 1998 v33 i131 p683(6).
  9. "Children Left to Die" , Mark Franchetti of Moscow, The SundayTimes, UK, February 1, 1999.
  10. "Children Orphaned by AIDS: Front-line responses from eastern and southern Africa", UNAIDS publication.
  11. "Death by Default- A Policy of Fatal Neglect in China's State Orphanages", Human Rights Watch condems fatal neglect in China's orphanages, Press Release, January 7, 1996.
  12. Frank Foundation: Child Assistance International , adoption agency.
  13. GOAL, Ireland-based non-profit organization.
  14. GOAL helps Street Children
  15. Jones, Cheryl, The Adoption Sourcebook, Los Angeles, CA: Lowell House Juvenile, 1998.
  16. Kip Keino Children's Home, non-profit for AIDS orphans
  17. Kondanani, non-profit African NGO.
  18. Moe, Barbara, Adoption: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: Contemporary World Issues, 1998.
  19. Nyumbani, non-profit orphanage, hospice, and care for AIDS children in Africa.
  20. "The Odyssey of a Russian Orphan", Human Rights Watch.
  21. Orphans Overseas Christian Adoption Agency
  22. Orphanage.org, listing of a number of orphanages around the world.
  23. Program Information, Homeless Children International-Kenya, non-profit organization.
  24. "Return to the Dying Rooms", transcript from the television documentary, True Vision Productions.
  25. Statistics, Sisterhood is Global Institute, November 25, 2001.
  26. The Street Children of Nepal Trust, non-profit organization.
  27. Sunrise Children's Village, non-profit orphanage/village.
  28. "UN: AIDS Orphans Portend Catastrophic future in Africa" , CNN, December 6, 1999.
  29. Wrongful Adoption Case , Adoption/Medical News, March 2002.
  30. Yunona Orphan Relief Fund, adoption agency and network

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Created by Kate McDevitt, 2002