Unfortunately, Ling did not do well in school. She felt ostracized by the other children, who ridiculed her repaired cleft lip. In addition, she had never attended any preschool or kindergarten program, so she was very behind the other students. To make matters worse, she did not have a family support system to ensure her homework was completed, to work with her to catch up academically and help her deal with these emotional challenges. It was just a few months after Ling started school that her orphanage, realizing that things were going badly, asked if she could join our family model of care project.
Thank you for being there for Ling. Not only are you making a difference in her life - your support helps us reach out to other children who continue to suffer unintentional harm due to institutional care. Our orphan care programs, working within the government run orphanages, strive to create systems of care that prevent additional trauma to children who have been abandoned and are living in orphanages.