Don’t phase out orphanages

Editor, The closure of orphanages in Rwanda pains me to the stomach. To claim that the needs of today’s orphan should be tailored to the life-style of pre-1954 is unfair, because society has moved from caring to selfish individuality. The management of foster children is very complex as it’s not straight-cut that the child will be unconditionally loved. Unlike orphanages, foster parents are very likely to discriminate on the basis of the child’s background. The main beneficiaries will be fostering organisations and not the children. It’s not a secret, some people see fostering as a source of income. However, we don’t know yet how the National Commission for Children is going to financially support the would-be foster families. If it wasn’t for the care and love that I received from the Gisimba Memorial in Nyamirambo, I wouldn’t be here today. Yes, for an outsider the word orphanage sounds terrible, but when they’re run by good parents such as Papa Damas Gisimba; rest assured, you’ll receive loads of love and care. However, what could be done is to have both institutions in place-in case things don’t work out at the foster home, the child could always have the orphanage to return to. Also we could have an Ombudsman for orphanages. Please, don’t take away our orphanages, as to some of us, they represent family. Anonymous reader Reaction to the story, “Fresh bid to phase out orphanages as countdown to second deadline starts” (The New Times, January 6)

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Don’t phase out orphanages