I agree with much of what was written here and am glad to know that such a conversation is happening. I have two concerns, however.
First, the word 'orphanage' is not well-defined. It gets used and we each have our perceptions of what it means, though most of us have never been to one. For me, I remember seeing images from Romanian orphanages on the news in the 1980s. While there are no 'orphanages' as such in most western countries, the title continues to be used in Africa. I am involved with one in Kenya and it is more like a large group home than my understanding of a classic 'orphanage'. Children who have been orphaned reside there as well as others who have been abused and neglected. Sometimes, parents are not able to provide for their children's needs and the children end up there as well. While this is tragic, it is preferable to being alone on the street or remaining in an abusive home. While the government provides no financial support to the orphanage, they at least do not want to leave children in dire circumstances.
Second, the statement, "Three-fourths of these children have livin