You may not realize that J.K. Rowling, author of the “Harry Potter” series, founded an organization called Lumos. Its mission is to prevent “poor, ethnic minority, or disabled” children from being placed in orphanages unnecessarily.
This week, Lumos posted a tweet about the dangers of donating to orphanages:
Donors funding orphanages unwittingly contribute to the continued abuse of children in orphanages – better ways to give. #100andchange
— Lumos (@lumos) July 16, 2017
This is when celebrity chef José Andrés responded:
What donors should do is visit the orphanage and volunteer at them, and if possible adopt.We support one in Haiti and my family volunteers!
— Chef José Andrés 🕊️🥘🍳 (@chefjoseandres) July 17, 2017
Rowling then responded from her personal account, explaining how donating can have unexpected negative results: the fact that children suffer abuse in orphanages:
.@chefjoseandres Many, many kind and well-intentioned people think this is the way to help the world’s most vulnerable children, José /1 https://t.co/vXI5Y9cVDR
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 17, 2017
We know that at least 80% of children in so-called ‘orphanages’ have at least one living parent. Sometimes the child was given up /3
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 17, 2017
have vanished from the developed world – and for very good reason. We have 80 years of research to show that institutionalised children /7
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 17, 2017
kill themselves. These statistics are repeated even in ‘well-run’ institutions. Again: the overwhelming majority of people donating and /9
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 17, 2017
terrible abuse. We have testimony of children being kept hungry to appear even more needy and vulnerable in pictures designed to appeal /11
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 17, 2017
Rowling, of course, understands the need for state-provided or charity care for some orphans, but believes that there are often better and more nurturing ways to implement that care.
What her organization, Lumos, does, is work to unite children with their families. It also gives money to local community services that help support parents, instead of just separating families–which should be everyone’s goal.
Rowling’s beliefs aren’t too surprising, considering the way she portrayed the harsh treatment of orphans, ranging from her hero, Harry Potter, to archvillain Tom Riddle (aka: young Lord Voldemort), in the “Harry Potter” series.
While the issues of orphanages, and foster care, is deeply complicated, it’s important to open a dialogue about how to make the system better for parents and kids–and find ways to keep families together.
