Kutaisi, Imereti Region, Georgia
Kutaisi, Imereti Region, Republic of Georgia © Onnik Krikorian / NKTA 2007
Some more photos from last week’s visit to Kutaisi, but this time of a rehabilitation center for children with cerebral palsy. On the second floor was the Tonusi center for children with mental disabilities and in the same building, a private school for the same.
Again, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Georgia work with these centers and it was interesting to later meet some of the kids from there in their homes now that they’ve been reintegrated into their families or placed in foster care.
Kutaisi, Imereti Region, Republic of Georgia © Onnik Krikorian / NKTA 2007
How you would you compare Georgia’s care for its orphans to Armenia’s government treatment of the orphans? or the disabled children?
Comment by Frieda — March 18, 2007 @ 10:35 am
That’s a difficult question to answer, because it lies in the approach. I mean, Armenia’s Children’s Homes (orphanages) are in significantly better shape than Georgia’s thanks to financial assistance from the Diaspora although boarding schools (the main depository for children from vulnerable families) are in the same shape.
The only difference is really that while both Armenia and Georgia have both determined that deinstitutionalization is the solution to this problem through reintegration into biological families, kinship and foster care as well as local adoption, only Georgia is implementing such a strategy.
In Armenia, the policy — while decided upon — has not yet been implemented although a foster care pilot project was reportedly undertaken in Gavar with the necessary changes made to the law. However, it is yet to be adopted and the boarding schools and orphanages are seen as the main solution to addressing the problem of children who are abandoned or deprived of proper parental care.
However, Armenia has obliged itself to taking the same approach as Georgia and so it’s only a matter of time before policy switches from supporting the institution to preventing the placement of children into such places. On the other hand, from knowing the Kharberd Children’s Specialized Children’s Home very well, I don’t doubt the intent. Indeed, the Director has turned the place around since the early 90s.
Even so, he speaks about the need for foster care and is currently over capacity because he will not send his kids to a psychiatric institution when they reach the age of 18. So, in that sense, the policy is better in Georgia, and many would agree. Interestingly, there are around 5,000 children in state-run institutions in Georgia, but 10-11,000 in Armenia despite its smaller size.
Comment by Onnik — March 18, 2007 @ 6:22 pm
thanks Onik for the information. 10,000 vs 5000 orphans in Armenia..wow! why is the number so high ? are there any specific region where the orphans are more than the other?
Since you mentioned Gavar, I would like to share a project that I have in mind with you. I am planning to build a Children’s playground in Gavar. An special playground , I call it , an inspirational playground where kids will be able to dream big. Anyway, if it goes well and if I make it happen, I would like to build one in Esfahan, and one in Afghanistan.
I will let you know when I get closer to my dream.
Comment by Frieda — March 20, 2007 @ 7:17 am
Good luck with the dream, Frieda, and let me know if it does come close to fruition as Gavar is an interesting photo story in itself.
Re. the number of children in residential institutions, it’s a hard one to answer. Maybe it’s simply reflecting on the policy of deinstitutionalization in Georgia as opposed to Armenia, although this difference has been there since at least 2003.
Interestingly, Azerbaijan has an even higher number of kids in institutions, and also of interest is the fact that in Tavoush region of Armenia there are no children’s homes or boarding schools at all.
What does this mean? Maybe that their are specific cultural forces at play as well? That’s the reason given to me in Tavoush, for example, but I daresay the real answer is more complex, and I haven’t been able to conclude anything yet.
Comment by Onnik — March 20, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
Please bear in mind one thing, though. The term “orphan” is a misleading term. Rather than refer to children who have lost both parents, it usually refers to kids with only one parent in this part of the world.
Also, most of the children in Children’s Homes (orphanages) and Boarding Schools are not orphans. They are from socially vulnerable families who could be reintegrated into their biological families, and for those that can’t or for those real orphans, kinship and foster care is an option.
Anyway, this is Armenian Government policy now, but it has yet to be implemented. I should try to find out what’s happening with the foster care pilot in Gavar.
Comment by Onnik — March 20, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
“The term “orphan” is a misleading term. ”
hmm! I had no idea that one parent children also can stay in the orphanage. Can you imagine the psychological l impact on these children? The high number makes sense now.
It’s really sad.
Is there any international organization that directly deals with this issue in that region?
Comment by Frieda — March 21, 2007 @ 12:39 am
Frieda,
Even 2 parent children stay in the orphanages. Most have become temporary depositories for kids whose parents can’t support or look after them.
Re. international organizations, loads. In Armenia, the focus is currently only on prevention i.e. stopping kids from being placed there, while in Georgia they’re doing that, but also trying to get kids out of the institution.
For those children with families, reintegration or kinship care is the priority with fostering and local adoption last resorts, and for those kids without parents or where its impossible to reintegrate kids because of violence or whatever, fostering and local adoption.
Anyway, Armenia does want to pursue the same policy, but for some reason implementation of the policy of deinstutionalization is not going according to initial plan.
Comment by Onnik — March 21, 2007 @ 1:00 am
I would be interested in how the average person in Georgia feels about orphans: do they avoid children with disabilities or who live in orphanages or do they try to reach out?
Are there any street children and how are they cared for ultimately, if at all?
You can email me directly too, if you wish.
Thank you.
Clementine
Comment by Clementine Fujimura — June 18, 2007 @ 7:26 pm