Poor Sudanese families hand children to orphanage

Impoverished Sudanese families began to hand their children to the Dar El Maigoma for abandoned infants in Khartoum, as they have become unable to support them.

Especially the expenses for health care and medicines have become too high, according to the National Council for Child Care.

The secretary of the Social Customs Secretariat of the National Council for Child Care noted in a lecture at a funding campaign for children lacking family support in Khartoum on Tuesday that the rooms of Dar El Maigoma have become overcrowded.

More than 20 children live in one room which is a healthy environment for them, she said. Dar El Maigoma is currently accommodating about 420 children.

Nur Hussein, Director of Shamaa organisation said that Sudan recorded the largest percentage of infants abandoned in latrines or garbage dumps in comparison with many other countries.

The director of Dar El Maigoma called for the integration of the children into alternative families to ensure real parental care and social stability.

The Ministry of Social Development is planning to increase the funding rate for children lacking family support to 40 children per month in order to reduce the pressure on the El Maigoma orphanage.