A Non Governmental Organisation, O. Africa is calling for the closure of all orphanages across the country by 2020.
[contextly_sidebar id=”dOaNqh6S8sxDeJ7mzJcNerdYbVgnOT4W”] O. Africa believes the closure of orphanages in Ghana will spare innocent children from trauma and maltreatment.
Speaking to Citi News after donating GHC117,000 to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the resettlement of inmates at the Bawjiase Orphanage, the Director of Development at O. Africa, formerly OrphanAid Ghana, Miracle Mensah Damanka advocated for orphans to be placed in foster homes rather than orphanages.
“We are advocating that orphanages should be closed by 2020. We are acknowledging that it will be difficult but it needs to be done because too many of our children are going through unnecessary trauma in the name of being in an institution. Family based care offers personal love and care and also allows the transmission of values and culture that you will not get in an institution ,” she explained.
She stated that the grooming of orphans in foster homes will ensure a proper grooming of the children for their future.
According to Miracle Mensah Damanka, government with support from other NGO’s should provide the needed resources for the phasing out of orphanages in the country.
“We know there are some factors involved so the government and other NGO’s must provide funding to the department of social welfare to enable them reintegrate all orphans into foster home,”she added.
She said there was no need to create awareness on the importance of extended family care to facilitate the eradication of orphanages in by 2020.
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By: Franklin Badu Jnr/citifmonline.com/Ghana