Blog Post

Across many West African countries, placing children in orphanages or institutional homes has long been seen as the logical thing to do when families fall apart. For years, these institutions—some with good intentions—have been seen as places of safety and provision. But as time goes on and we listen to the experiences of children themselves, it has become clear that while institutions may offer food and shelter, they cannot offer what children truly need: family, love, and belonging.

According to a 2023 report by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, around 35 million children across Africa are without parental care. In West Africa especially, a significant number of these children end up in institutions—not always because they are orphans, but because of poverty, family breakdown, conflict, or displacement. In fact, global data from UNICEF reveals that 80% of children in orphanages still have at least one living parent. This is a startling reality that forces us to ask hard questions: If many of these children are not orphans, why are they separated from their families?

The truth is, institutional care – even when provided with good intentions –  often does more harm than good. Children raised in these environments tend to experience emotional and developmental challenges. They may struggle to form healthy attachments, miss out on personal attention, and later in life, they often face difficulties integrating into society. The absence of consistent, loving relationships leaves a deep mark—one that food and shelter alone cannot heal. We have seen many young people leave institutions only to find themselves lost, unprepared for adult life, and without a sense of identity or belonging.

On the other hand, family-based care provides a more natural and nurturing environment. Whether it’s through reunification with biological families, kinship care (where extended relatives step in), fostering, or adoption, children thrive better when raised in a home where they are loved and known. This approach isn’t foreign to us. In fact, within many African communities, especially in rural areas, it’s common for aunties, uncles, grandparents, and even neighbors to take in a child when a parent dies or is unable to care for them. These informal systems of support reflect the African spirit of ubuntu—I am because we are.

However, while the heart is willing, our systems are not always supportive. Policy gaps, legal bottlenecks, social stigma, and lack of training for caregivers have made it difficult to formalize and strengthen these family-based alternatives. Adoption, for instance, is still surrounded by suspicion in many places. Fostering is often misunderstood. Kinship care goes unsupported. And as a result, we continue to see children fall through the cracks.

Family-based care is not just better emotionally—it’s also more sustainable. A 2020 report by the World Bank shows that over time, investing in family support services is more cost-effective than running large-scale institutions. Families build resilience. Communities grow stronger. And most importantly, children are given the opportunity to grow up with identity, love, and hope.

That’s where initiatives like the West African Alternative Care Summit (WAACS) come in. WAACS is more than just a conference—it’s a movement. It brings together key players—government leaders, orphanage operators, social workers, researchers, and youth who have lived through the system—to discuss how we can turn the tide. The summit focuses on practical steps like improving laws around fostering and adoption, supporting family-strengthening programs, and creating regional strategies that prioritize children’s best interests.

The path forward is clear: If we are serious about protecting the next generation, we must place families at the center of our child welfare systems. It’s time to move from managing emergencies to building long-term solutions rooted in care, dignity, and local culture.

The future of child protection in West Africa doesn’t lie in bigger buildings or more institutions, it lies in stronger families, better policies, and communities that stand together for their children. Now is the time to act. Join us at WAACS 2025 and be part of a regional shift that puts every child where they belong in a loving family.

Ready to be part of the change?