Rethinking Orphan Care in Nigeria: A Call for Foster Parenting

 

In 2017, we curated a project themed “Impact and Equip Orphanages.” Without hesitation, we hit the ground running; training children in several orphanages across Nigeria in basic life skills like soap making, body oil production, and bread making.

This initiative was born out of a genuine concern: to bridge the skills gap between children raised in typical family homes and those in orphanages, where activities are generalized and individualized growth is often overlooked.
In family homes, children often learn these everyday skills passively, by observing, practicing, and receiving personal guidance. Unfortunately, children in orphanages miss out on this layer of developmental experience.

What inspired us even more was a personal request from a matron at an orphanage in Kaduna (may her soul rest in peace). She earnestly asked that her children be equipped with life skills that would serve them long after they aged out of the system. Her passion lit a fire in us, and we acted.

We brought in resource persons, facilitated training, and even donated materials to ensure continuity.

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But here’s the thing: while we taught skills, it became clear that children need more than workshops, they need families.

This experience deepened our conviction that Nigeria needs to strongly consider implementing and adopting a functional foster care system. Orphanages while doing their best cannot replace the warmth, attention, and individualized development that family-based care offers.

Children grow better when they are nurtured in homes, not just housed in institutions. The foster care system enables a community-centered approach to raising children, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to blossom in a stable and loving environment.

We must begin to see child development as a shared national responsibility. A child is not just “the government’s concern” or “an NGO’s project”

Every child is for all of us!

Let us raise our voices and push for policies that prioritize family-based care over institutional housing.

EveryChildMatters #LoveCharizFoundation #NationBuilding #SocialImpact #NigeriaForChildren #EquipAndImpact #NGOStories #HopeForEveryChild