ON Monday, the Adopt-An-Orphanage Initiative was launched by First Lady Arya Ali with the focus on improving the lives of children in eight orphanages across Guyana.
The idea is to have the orphanages and children benefit from financial assistance to offset their monthly expenses through a working partnership with the private sector. These private-sector agencies will provide the monetary donations while the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will have oversight responsibilities.
The initiative is not limited to expenses only, as there is some component of funding that will cater to the extra-curricular needs of children. This move seeks to ensure that due attention is given to growth and development of the children. First Lady Ali made it clear at the launch that the Adopt-An-Orphanage Initiative came about because of her commitment and vision for the children of Guyana. She also expressed the view that these children are not as fortunate as many individuals, since in most cases they do not enjoy the love and support of a biological family. She added that we have to ensure that they are afforded the necessities in life to realise their full potential.

The initiative was birthed out of a conversation the First Lady had with Guyanese-American rapper, SAINt JHN, during his visit to State House in October 2020.
Rapper SAINt JHN is also very passionate about helping vulnerable children and supports the initiative to help them.
This initiative is a step in the right direction and will go a far way in meeting the expectations of all concerned in a timely and convenient manner.
The Adopt-An-Orphanage Initiative will revolutionise the way we think about the homes in our society, especially those dedicated to meeting the needs of vulnerable children every month.
After all, these orphanages have bills and expenses like any other household in Guyana and even with government support, expenses for light, water and security could be a challenge.
The daily struggles faced by some orphanages are whether to keep their doors open or fighting to cut back on programmes because of the cost factor.

If that is not a challenge in itself, the orphanages must deal with the problems brought on by child abuse and child labour. For example, last year, the Child Care and Protection Agency (CP&A) reported that some 3,129 children in Guyana faced some form of abuse in 2020. For the first quarter of 2021, according to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, 404 boys were abused, while 635 girls suffered a similar fate. Some of these cases most likely would have ended up being placed in protective care of the state.
Orphanages are considered by many as the last chance these children have at a stable home with opportunities for personal growth and development.
The Adopt-An-Orphanage Initiative is most commendable as it could serve as a model of the private and public sectors, working alongside non-governmental organisations to meet the needs of children in need. Undoubtedly, this bold initiative will help to create orphanages that are better managed and an environment where children get an opportunity to grow and develop into productive adults. And on this note, it would be great to see more businesses and individuals come out in support of this worthy initiative launched by the First Lady of Guyana.