Politics of orphanhood: an Ethiopian study

Despite popular opinion, 70% of orphans in Ethiopia are non-AIDS orphans, with most orphaned due to famine, war, disease and abandonment mainly due to poverty. For this week's podcast, Michael Bouwman spoke to Dr Tatek Abebe about the complexities of orphan care in Ethiopia. Tatek emphasised the importance of not viewing orphans as victims, as this fails to capture the burden of care shouldered by orphans, their families and communities. Also discussed were factors that influence the quality of care that orphans receive, the influences that surround who a family will provide care for, and how these orphans view themselves as 'resources' to the families that care for them. The outcomes of this study show the need for higher government involvement in care, intervention strategies need to involve disadvantaged children, in general, and to listen to the views of orphans and acknowledge their contributions to the family.