The world can be a scary place when you first go out into it and you feel you are all alone and there is no one who understands you, who loves you, cares about you or even worries about you. It is even more frightening when you have no skills, very little education, no accommodation, no support structures and very little to no experience with regard to what is out there in the world. Leaving the only safe place you have known after having gone through in most cases psychological, physical or emotional trauma maybe too much to bear. This is the problem that many of us have overlooked or never really looked at. This is the reality children in orphanages have to face when they have aged out.
Most of these young men and women are faced with challenges they have never been prepared for. They face the world, a harsh place, filled with new challenges, expectations, standards and a different way of life to the one they have known. They are forced to adapt and evolve at a rapid pace in order to survive. Many fail this swift transition forcing them to a life of crime and prostitution. But who is to blame? What can be done to ensure that these children become productive citizens of the world? What support can our society give these young men and women for them to be able to smoothly transition to a better life after the orphanage? What legislation can government put in place to allow these men and women a better chance to survive in this world? These are the questions we should ask ourselves. What can we do to improve the standard of living of the individuals that have gone through the foster care system in our country?
Though a lot has been done to try to help change the fate of the children in our orphanages, a lot still needs to be done for there to be a significant change in the lives of the young men and women after they have aged out. Self-awareness programmes should be put in place to help individuals know how to handle specific situations they may encounter after they have left the orphanage. Counselling and psychological services that will allow them to resolve any past painful experiences and prepare them to live independently in the community should also be provided in preparation to their aging out. Mentorship programmes are also key to changing the perception of most of these young men and women, giving them exposure and an opportunity to start creating networks they can use in the future giving them confidence to face the world and its challenges.
Government plays a key role in ensuring that adequate policies and laws are put in place, that clearly state what will be done to help orphans who have aged out transition into the world. Provision of affordable accommodation and employment opportunities also are key to this transition. By providing transitional homes, shelters or family centres, young men and women are given an opportunity to smoothly transition into the world and also have a safe and affordable roof over their heads.
This further allows them the opportunity to develop social skills and also relate to the family environment. These homes also can serve as skills training centres where young men and women get the necessary skills they will need to survive in the world. Unfortunately, this dream requires funding for it to be turned into a reality. There is a dire need for individuals, corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations, embassies, civic society, stakeholders and well-wishers to come forward and provide this funding for this dream to turn into a reality. Skills training, apprenticeship opportunities, entrepreneurship training, project financing and project support are areas where we can come in to make a difference in the lives of these young men and women. Providing materials to help repair their facilities or provide the necessary training the children really need will go a long way to changing their lives. Can we honestly say that this is all that we can do to help the young men and women who have aged out of the foster care system? Can we sleep at night comfortably and not really think that there could have been something we could have done to help or change someone’s life? It is up to each and every one of us to look deep within themselves and ask themselves what they can do to help.
Being there for someone who has been through a lot and giving an encouraging word could mean the difference between someone having hope to face tomorrow and someone killing themself today. Sharing the knowledge and skills that we have gained could mean the difference between someone having a job tomorrow or stealing from you today. We all have a chance to change someone’s life today and we all have an opportunity to invest in someone’s future, let us all make an effort to do something today that will help someone’s future tomorrow.