Millions of Children in Need
1
OVER 150 MILLION ORPHANS
Children are the most vulnerable individuals affected by the impacts of crises and conflicts happening around the world. The child population makes up 2.2 of the 7 billion people in the, and between 143 to 210 million children are orphaned. Many more children lack access to basic needs, such as a caring and loving home, nutritious food, healthcare, and a good education. Asia is home to the largest number of orphaned children in the world, with 60 million at last count (UNICEF).
It is every child’s right to live, receive education, healthcare, shelter, and protection against physical and psychological abuse. We believe the ideal outcome for every child is to know the love and nurture of a permanent family, and that more efforts needed to preserve and reunite families.
The reality, however, is that there are millions ofed, abandoned, and neglected children in our world today who deserve nothing less than our greatest efforts. They are the most vulnerable and marginalized group in our society.
2
GIVING A REAL HOME IS KEY
Each year, around 15 million children grow up as orphans, and many must leave institutions by age sixteen, with 38,493 orphans aging out each day. Studies have shown that 10% to 15% of children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen. These studies also indicate that a large number of girls become prostitutes, and an alarming number of boys become hardened criminals and end up in within three years.
Therefore, there is a real need for genuine organizations that truly care for these children. These organizations must provide professional care and the support required to help these children develop into responsible and capable young adults. Likewise, these organizations must be equipped with a solid funding base so they can out their services in a sustainable manner. Many of these organizations, however, are not yet equipped with the right capabilities.
That’s where Little Heroes’ Dreams comes in to help. Our mission is to build up capabilities for these organizations that empower them to provide the best care and service possible for children in need. Find out who we help and how we help.
3
EMPOWERED FAMILIES
Once local organizations are empowered to provide excellent care and support for children in need, they can take the next step and reach out to their communities to help address fundamental issues that leave children neglected and abandoned. One area is family preservation—children can be prevented from becoming orphans through sustainable community development targeted at improving overall health standards, food security and livelihoods of individuals and communities.
This includes offering opportunities and support that enable these families to remain safely intact, as well as providing the community and other resources to help them thrive. Another area is family reunification. Whenever it can be done safely and responsibly, we must work to reunite families that have been separated by war, natural disaster, poverty, or other crises, including situations where children have been temporarily placed in residential or congregate care.
Efforts must be made to that children are properly rehabilitated and that their transition back into their community is safe and carried out with ongoing supervision. Finally, we focus on expanding families. When birth parents died or are unwilling or unable to provide adequate care, with outside support, we must work to place orphans in permanent, loving families and provide the community and other resources help these families thrive.