Monrovia – A local organization advocating and caring for orphans in Liberia has termed as “lackadaisical” the government’s approach towards providing basic food and other basic items to thousands of children at orphanages across the country.
According to the Executive Director of Orphan Concern-Liberia Amos Sawboh, government has allegedly failed to put in place “any response mechanism or an emergency plan to provide the much-needed support” to orphanages in Liberia despite threat from the pandemic.
Sawboh comments were contained in a statement released in Monrovia recently.
He pointed out that in the midst of the pandemic, “bureaucracies and long planning meetings which eventually lead to a mountain of papers and long reading materials” are the only things being heard or noticed by orphanages in the combat against the virus in the country.
“There are confirmed cases of coronavirus in Liberia and there is the same lackadaisical approach to supporting these children. Children in these orphanages are looking to their gates for a car or walk-in from someone to rescue them by providing them the first meal or preventive materials. Unless we take decisive action now, the pandemic will not only threaten the welfare of thousands of children in orphanages but it will cause devastating material hardship and exacerbate existing racial and economic inequalities as the situation over the last couple of weeks has shown”.
Sawboh further called for immediate action to protect the health and wellbeing of all children in orphanages and families caring for orphans.
He added that the government, international and local organizations must begin to find a way around providing support to these children as they are among the most vulnerable of Liberia’s population.
He maintained that ordinary citizens must, at this time, begin to see themselves as champions in providing educative messages and finding a way to drive by and offer some help at various orphanages across the country.
“Even if not going into the orphanage (for precautionary purposes); they can drive by and leave a bag of rice or sanitary material to help the children stay safe. With this, there would be a huge boost of psychosocial support to the children, and they would feel there are people out there that care for them”.
Sawboh stated that citizens should do more to support those who are likely to be hurt mostly by the current crisis, and look out for ways by which ordinary citizens can see a neighbor in need to help.
He indicated that it is now time that public systems are thoroughly evaluated in an organized way to support children in care during this crisis, and ensure families involved in child welfare, children experiencing homelessness, and those living in institutional settings are protected.
“As we deal with the immediacy of today’s emergency, we must also redouble efforts to provide long-term reforms to our system of public benefits so that it can automatically respond to children’s needs in the event of future public health emergencies and economic downturns”.
“Even if not going into the orphanage (for precautionary purposes); they can drive by and leave a bag of rice or sanitary material to help the children stay safe. With this, there would be a huge boost of psychosocial support to the children, and they would feel there are people out there that care for them”.
– Amos sawboh, Executive Director of Orphan Concern-Liberia
The Ebola Era
Liberia was hit by the Ebola Virus Disease between 2014 and 2016, causing the death of more than 5000 persons.
According to Sawboh, orphans were greatly affected by the epidemic due to limitedsupport given to orphanages by the Liberian government.
He pointed out that the situation placed orphans at high risk because many of those running orphanages had to survive on handouts at the mercies of the communities during the Ebola crisis.
Sawboh further recalled that the situation worsen when many of the orphanages had no food.
“Like we saw with the previous government’s Ebola response there was not an organized plan and support for the thousands of children who were in orphanages. Sadly, we saw the government then giving out six hand washing buckets, a few chlorax, dettol and sanitizers for all 64 Governments’ Approved Orphanages”.
Like the Ebola crisis, Sawboh pointed out, that government and its citizens remain less prepared to confront this pandemic.
He added that despite the confirmation of the first case of the coronavirus several weeks ago, government has not shown any plan it has to support children staying in orphanages.
According to him, the delay by government to release a full scale plan for orphans during this pandemic, has systematically undermined the supports that caregivers and families caring for orphans need when experiencing public health emergencies and economic downturns.
“From my experience with the Ebola crisis, this is the most difficult time and speaking to most of the owner of orphanages there must be a more collective effort to come to the aid of the orphans. Support of food and other basic essentials is the best they can wish for in helping to keep the children safe and happy during this crisis period”.
“Our response to this crisis in term of support to children in orphanages will speak to who we are, as a nation and what premium we put on the most vulnerable of our population”.
Sawboh stated that the measure of government’s support to children, youth, families, and institutions caring for orphans, who are likely to suffer most in this pandemic, will set for the country what would happen after this crisis.
He maintained that the low or inadequate support to vulnerable groups will also exacerbate the current inequities and create even greater and insurmountable hurdles for orphans to overcome in the years ahead.