Isles takes measures against orphanage abuses

A two-week preliminary report conducted in February this year on rapid assessment of children living in orphanages in Zanzibar showed that there was no comprehensive data on the number and the nature of institutions providing care to children in the Isles, the number and background of children staying in themand the quality of care being provided.

The findings which were conducted on eleven recognised centres in Unguja and Pemba also showed that many of the children kept in the institutions were accepted without the knowledge or approval of the director of the Department of Social Welfare.

The director of Social Welfare from the Ministry of Empowerment, Social Welfare, Youth, Women and Children, Wahida Maabad Mohamed, said the move came after it was discovered that many of the children’s homes were used for various purposes beyond taking care of youngsters.

She told journalists here yesterday that the majority of the centres were found to be in poor conditions such as having limited infrastructure and lack of skilled labour.

According to her, they also found that most of the owners of children’s homes were exploiting the children and making profit out of them, rather than taking care of them.

Mohamed said the government intended to verify channels through which the children were brought to the centres.

“The government from now on will issue licenses to centres which have met all the required conditions as outlined by the ministry and it will not accept children to be taken to the orphanages without its approval,” she said.

She added that the government would first have to approve, monitor, inspect residential homes and vet workers at the centres.