Guest Post: Kate Need a Home - 147 Million Orphans?

The post is from my friend's post on This Journey that's Called Life.

The link is http://thisjourneyofmylife.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/147-million-orphans/

147 Million Orphans?

For several years now, I have thought there were 147 million orphans in the world, all in need of a home. That’s not a random number, it’s the name of an organization trying to find a home for orphans. The words “147 orphans” are widely spread on the internet, especially on adoption sites. You can find the website of the organisation here. 147 million orphans … It’s incomprehensible. It’s huge. It’s a challenge. And it’s completely untrue. That’s right. There are no 147 million orphans. Nowhere near that number in fact.

What’s an orphan? A child without parents. Or, you could even say, a child who lost his parents (not only by death, but also by abandonment). An orphan is a child without a father or a mother, that isn’t adopted by other caretakers.

But what does UNICEF say?

Of the more than 132 million children classified as orphans, only 13 million have lost both parents. Evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of orphans are living with a surviving parent, grandparent, or other family member. 95 per cent of all orphans are over the age of five. (full article)

So, in fact, there are only 13 million orphans. And “the vast majority” of those children lives with a caretaker (grandparents, family members etc.). UNICEF doesn’t even mention the number 147.000.000. There are no 147 million orphans needing a home. It’s safe to say that at least 95% of these ‘orphans’ are cared for. They don’t need to be adopted. They can’t even be adopted!

Do 147 million children need our help? Most certainly. That number is even low, many more children need our help. Should those 147 million children be adopted? No. 147 million orphans is a myth. There are many children who desperately need to be adopted, but not 147 million.

I’m trying to find a home for Kate. She is living in an institution. There is no one who stands up to be her parent. Kate needs a home. Please help spread the word by posting this picture on your blog or website and linking back to http://thisjourneyofmylife.wordpress.com/category/home-is-where-the-heart-is/kate/ or tohttp://reecesrainbow.org/kate-46.