Blog – Page 26

Learning the Lesson and Providing Real Help: Indonesia

Posted on September 30, 2018September 30, 2019 by Florence

In the past days, the news has been full of accounts about the terrible earthquake and tsunami that hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on 28 September. A major disaster with a confirmed death toll of many hundreds and rising daily, with some people saying it may well reach thousands. Help will be needed for people to start to rebuild their lives. And many children will likely be separated from their parents and other relatives, either permanently or temporarily.

This brings back to mind the situation in Indonesia when a massive tsunami struck in December 2004. And it rings major warning bells: what happened in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami must not be repeated this time, for the sake of the children.

Less Visible Presence

Posted on September 28, 2018September 27, 2018 by Florence

Over the next few weeks, you will see less of me on the website and social media pages. While I will attempt to occasionally write a blog to add to the website, I cannot promise that circumstances will allow.

The reason for my temporary ‘disappearance’ is that right now Why Family-Based Solutions is entirely self-funded. Meaning that I do not get any money, I only provide it. To be able to stay alive myself and to fund the organisation, I need to work for money for intense periods of several weeks from time to time. And such a time has now arrived.

The Danger of Voluntourism

Posted on September 24, 2018September 30, 2019 by Florence

It seems like such a good idea, like such a kind and generous thing to do, to go to a different country to spend time in an ‘orphanage’ giving your time and love to underprivileged children. It is almost always done with the best intentions and from a real desire to make a difference, to improve these children’s lives.

When you arrive, it really looks like you were the person they were waiting for all this time. A swarm of children runs to you, surrounds you, tries to hug you, or sit on your lap. The second-hand clothes that you brought look better than what the children are wearing. The extra food and treats you buy are accepted as manna from heaven. And when you leave there are many tears, on both sides. As you leave, while you are sad to leave the children behind, you are comforted by the thought that you clearly did make a real, positive, difference in these children’s lives. Unfortunately, all is not what it seems.

Working on ‘The World List’

Posted on September 20, 2018October 6, 2018 by Florence

In the summer of 2015, I was starting to get a clearer insight into the diverse backgrounds and problems that were the main cause of the institutionalisation of children in a few specific countries. This insight led me to speculate that actually to be able to really tackle the issue of children institutions – and to get an idea of what is needed to keep them out of them – it would be useful to have information about a few specific subjects for each country, to gain an understanding of what is already in place, what are major obstacles and how alternative care and institutional care are handled.

What Could Possibly Be Wrong with Helping an Orphanage?

Posted on September 18, 2018November 30, 2018 by Florence

Some excerpts from the first chapter of ‘How to Help, not Harm: What Living in Orphanages Does to Children and How You Can Help’, written by me:

“Most of us very much want to do something to help the weakest among us, those who are most vulnerable. We feel a moral obligation to help improve the lives of those who are unable to help themselves. And we feel a sense of satisfaction and contentment when we think that a small sacrifice on our part will improve the quality of life of those less fortunate. From ancient times, the moral obligation and the command to take care of widows and orphans has been heard across different cultures and different religions.

Introduction: Who?

Posted on September 10, 2018January 5, 2020 by Florence

Let’s start with a little introduction, a little more personal than the ‘About’ page. Who am I and how did I get here?

That’s a really good question and I will fight the impulse to become too philosophical or existentialist in answering it. So I’ll start with the first part. I am Florence Koenderink, a Dutch woman who has lived in Scotland for the past several years and who works all over the world, wherever I’m asked to go. The more formal details on that you can look up on the ‘About’ page.

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