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The cognitive dissonance between child rescue and child protection

‘Saving orphans’ has become an industry that irrevocably harms children and undermines the development of child welfare systems. We must replace the drive to rescue with the desire to protect.

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Uganda-Kampala, Midland Orphanage, December 2013. İHH/Flickr. Creative Commons.

On a recent flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi, I was wedged into a seat next to a chatty young man. He told me he worked at a group home for severely disabled children in Wales and was going on a holiday safari. He asked the purpose of my trip, so I told him I was doing research on orphans and child protection.

“Oh, we’re visiting an orphanage on our safari!” he said excitedly.