OrphanAid Africa would like to react to the recent Anas Aremeyaw Anas report on conditions in orphanages in Ghana. The board, management and staff of OrphanAid Africa applaud the investigative journalist for uncovering the horrific abuse of children in Ghana’s orphanages.

Orphanages are not a culturally appropriate or sustainable solution for caring for children. Children need to grow up in families and with a permanent bond of care and affection that no orphanage can provide. OrphanAid Africa rescues children from orphanages and supports poor families to care for their children. We believe that poverty is not a reason for separating children from their families.

OrphanAid Africa is aware of the existence of 148 orphanages in Ghana, and has data on children living in 95 of these orphanages.Approximately 85%, of the children in orphanages in Ghana are not orphans and have living family.

We have been energetically advocating for these children to be resettled with their extended families, instead of been confined to orphanages. Orphanages are often a cover for child trafficking and abuse. Most Western nations stopped the use of orphanages long ago, preferring the use of extended family care and foster care.

Since2005 OrphanAid Africa has stopped supporting orphanages and focused all its activities on resettling children with their extended family. We sincerely hope that these revelation will encourage all Ghanaians to s rather support programmes that resettle children in their families. Poverty alone should never be a reason for confining a child to an orphanage.

OrphanAid Africa will hold a press conference at the Press Centre in Accra on Wednesday September 8 to address the issue.