Why we need to end the era of orphanages | Tara Winkler

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 瑞文Eleven 林Lim

These are some photos of me volunteering in a Cambodian orphanage

這些是我在柬埔寨 孤兒院當志工的照片，

in 2006.

時間是 2006 年。

When these photos were taken,

拍攝這些照片的那個時候，

I thought I was doing a really good thing

我認為自己是在行善，

and that I was really helping those kids.

認為我真的在協助那些孩子。

I had a lot to learn.

我有很多要學的。

It all started for me when I was 19 years old

一切的起因，是我 19 歲時，

and went backpacking through Southeast Asia.

當背包客去東南亞旅行。

When I reached Cambodia,

當我抵達柬埔寨，

I felt uncomfortable being on holiday surrounded by so much poverty

我覺得很不舒服，我在渡假， 身邊卻盡是貧困的人，

and wanted to do something to give back.

我想做點什麼做為回報。

So I visited some orphanages and donated some clothes and books

所以我造訪了一些孤兒院， 捐了一些衣服、書籍、

and some money

和一些錢，

to help the kids that I met.

來協助我見到的那些孩子。

But one of the orphanages I visited was desperately poor.

但我造訪的其中一間 孤兒院是極度貧窮。

I had never encountered poverty like that before in my life.

我一生中都沒遇過像那樣子的貧窮。

They didn't have funds for enough food,

他們沒有錢購買足夠的食物、

clean water

乾淨的水、

or medical treatment,

或醫療服務，

and the sad little faces on those kids

那些孩子臉上悲傷的神情

were heartbreaking.

讓人心碎。

So I was compelled to do something more to help.

所以我不得不再 多做一點，來協助他們。

I fund-raised in Australia and returned to Cambodia the following year

我在澳洲募款，隔年回到柬埔寨，

to volunteer at the orphanage for a few months.

在這間孤兒院當了幾個月的志工。

I taught English and bought water filters and food

我教他們英文，帶來濾水器和食物，

and took all of the kids to the dentist for the first time in their lives.

帶所有的孩子去看他們 人生中的第一次牙醫。

But over the course of the next year,

但在隔年的過程中，

I came to discover that this orphanage that I had been supporting

我發現我一直在支援的這間孤兒院

was terribly corrupt.

非常腐敗。

The director had been embezzling every cent donated to the orphanage,

院長盜用了捐給孤兒院的每一分錢，

and in my absence, the children were suffering such gross neglect

我不在時，孩子們受到惡劣的忽視，

that they were forced to catch mice to feed themselves.

他們甚至被迫要抓老鼠來吃。

I also found out later

我後來還發現，

that the director had been physically and sexually abusing the kids.

院長對孩子們施加 身體虐待和性虐待。

I couldn't bring myself to turn my back on children

我無法背棄孩子們，

who I had come to know and care about

我已經漸漸認識和關心他們，

and return to my life in Australia.

不可能這樣就回到澳洲過我的生活。

So I worked with a local team and the local authorities

所以我與當地的團隊與當局合作，

to set up a new orphanage and rescue the kids

建立了一間新的孤兒院， 救出那些孩子，

to give them a safe new home.

給他們一個安全的新家。

But this is where my story takes another unexpected turn.

但我的故事在這裡發生了 另一個未預期的轉折。

As I adjusted to my new life running an orphanage in Cambodia,

當我正在適應我在柬埔寨 經營孤兒院的新生活，

(Khmer) I learned to speak Khmer fluently,

（用高棉語說） 我學會說流利的高棉語，

which means that I learned to speak the Khmer language fluently.

意思是，我學會說流利的高棉語。

And when I could communicate properly with the kids,

我能夠和孩子們做適當的溝通，

I began to uncover some strange things.

我開始發現一些奇怪的事。

Most of the children we had removed from the orphanage

大部份我們從那間 孤兒院帶出來的孩子

were not, in fact, orphans at all.

其實根本不是孤兒。

They had parents,

他們有父母，

and the few that were orphaned had other living relatives,

少數幾名真正的孤兒 也有其他活著的親人，

like grandparents and aunties and uncles

比如祖父母、姑姑、叔叔

and other siblings.

及其他兄弟姐妹。

So why were these children living in an orphanage

為什麼這些孩子明明不是孤兒，

when they weren't orphans?

卻會住在孤兒院？

Since 2005, the number of orphanages in Cambodia

從 2005 年起，柬埔寨的孤兒院數目

has risen by 75 percent,

上升了 75%，

and the number of children living in Cambodian orphanages

住在柬埔寨孤兒院的孩子數目

has nearly doubled,

幾乎變為兩倍，

despite the fact

但事實卻是，

that the vast majority of children living in these orphanages

住在這些孤兒院的大多數孩子，

are not orphans in the traditional sense.

都不是我們傳統認為的孤兒。

They're children from poor families.

他們是來自貧窮家庭的孩子。

So if the vast majority of children living in orphanages

如果住在孤兒院的大多數孩子

are not orphans,

都不是孤兒，

then the term "orphanage"

那麼「孤兒院」一詞

is really just a euphemistic name for a residential care institution.

其實只是住宿照護機構的委婉名稱。

These institutions go by other names as well,

這些機構還有其他名稱，

like "shelters," "safe houses," "children's homes," "children's villages,"

如「庇護所」、「安全屋」、 「孩童之家」、「孩童村」、

even "boarding schools."

甚至「寄宿學校」。

And this problem is not just confined to Cambodia.

這個問題並不只在柬埔寨發生。

This map shows some of the countries that have seen a dramatic increase

這張地圖標示出的國家，

in the numbers of residential care institutions

住宿照護機構的數量都是劇增，

and the numbers of children being institutionalized.

其中的孩童數量亦是劇增。

In Uganda, for example,

比如，在烏干達，

the number of children living in institutions

住在機構中的孩童數目

has increased by more than 1,600 percent since 1992.

從 1992 年起，增加了超過 1600%。

And the problems posed by putting kids into institutions

送孩子進機構的所造成問題，

don't just pertain to the corrupt and abusive institutions

並不只是機構腐敗和虐待孩童，

like the one that I rescued the kids from.

比如我把孩子救出來的那間。

The problems are with all forms of residential care.

問題與各種形式的住宿照護有關。

Over 60 years of international research has shown us

超過六十年的國際研究顯示，

that children who grow up in institutions,

在機構中長大的孩子，

even the very best institutions,

即使是在最好的機構，

are at serious risk of developing mental illnesses,

都有很大的風險會產生心理疾病、

attachment disorders,

依附障礙症、

growth and speech delays,

成長及言語發展遲緩，

and many will struggle with an inability to reintegrate

且許多孩子長大後要重新融入社會

back into society later in life

會有很大的困難，

and form healthy relationships as adults.

成年後也很難形成健康的人際關係。

These kids grow up without any model of family

這些孩子成長過程沒有家庭典範，

or of what good parenting looks like,

也不知道好怎樣才是好的教養，

so they then can struggle to parent their own children.

所以他們要養育 自己的孩子時會有困難。

So if you institutionalize large numbers of children,

所以如果你把大量的 孩子都送入機構中，

it will affect not only this generation,

會影響到的不只是這一代，

but also the generations to come.

還有他們的下一代。

We've learned these lessons before in Australia.

以前我們在澳洲學到過這些。

It's what happened to our "Stolen Generations,"

我們的「被偷走的世代」 就是這個情況，

the indigenous children who were removed from their families

原住民孩子被帶離他們的家庭，

with the belief that we could do a better job

因為相信我們可以把他們的孩子

of raising their children.

養育得更好。

Just imagine for a moment

試想一下，

what residential care would be like for a child.

對孩子而言，住宿照護 會是什麼樣子的。

Firstly, you have a constant rotation of caregivers,

首先，照護者會經常輪調，

with somebody new coming on to the shift every eight hours.

每八小時就會有新的人來輪班。

And then on top of that you have a steady stream of visitors

接著，很固定都會有訪客

and volunteers coming in,

以及志工來造訪，

showering you in the love and affection you're craving

給你大量你所渴望的愛與關懷，

and then leaving again,

接著他們又離開了，

evoking all of those feelings of abandonment,

喚起所有被拋棄的感受，

and proving again and again

一再地證明

that you are not worthy of being loved.

你不值得被愛。

We don't have orphanages in Australia, the USA, the UK anymore,

在澳洲、美國、英國 都沒有孤兒院了，

and for a very good reason:

理由非常好：

one study has shown that young adults raised in institutions

一篇研究指出，機構 養育出來的年輕人

are 10 times more likely to fall into sex work than their peers,

從事性工作的可能性是同儕的十倍，

40 times more likely to have a criminal record,

有犯罪記錄的可能性則是四十倍，

and 500 times more likely

以及五百倍高的自殺可能性。

to take their own lives.

There are an estimated eight million children around the world

估計全世界有八百萬個孩子

living in institutions like orphanages,

住在像孤兒院的機構中，

despite the fact that around 80 percent of them are not orphans.

但當中有 80% 都不是孤兒。

Most have families who could be caring for them

他們大多有家人可以照顧他們，

if they had the right support.

如果有適當的支持的話。

But for me,

但，對我來說，

the most shocking thing of all to realize

最震驚的是，我發現

is what's contributing to this boom

造成這麼多不必被送入

in the unnecessary institutionalization of so many children:

機構的孩子被送入機構 且人數暴增的原因，

it's us --

是我們……

the tourists, the volunteers

是遊客、志工、

and the donors.

捐贈者。

It's the well-meaning support from people like me back in 2006,

原因是那些善意的支持， 來自像 2006 年的我那樣的人、

who visit these children and volunteer and donate,

造訪這些孩子、自願協助、 做出捐贈的人，

who are unwittingly fueling an industry that exploits children

這些人在不知不覺間， 支助了這個剝削孩童

and tears families apart.

並讓家庭破裂的產業。

It's really no coincidence that these institutions are largely set up

這些機構大多座落在最容易吸引

in areas where tourists can most easily be lured in

遊客去造訪並志願協助、

to visit and volunteer in exchange for donations.

並做出捐贈的地區，不是巧合。

Of the 600 so-called orphanages in Nepal,

在尼泊爾的 600 間 所謂的孤兒院中，

over 90 percent of them are located in the most popular tourist hotspots.

至少 90% 是位在 最熱門的觀光地點。

The cold, hard truth is,

殘酷且難接受的事實是，

the more money that floods in in support of these institutions,

有越多錢流入來支持這些機構，

the more institutions open

就會有越多機構開張，

and the more children are removed from their families

有更多孩子被從家庭中帶走，

to fill their beds.

來填滿那些床位。

It's just the laws of supply and demand.

這只是供給與需求的法則。

I had to learn all of these lessons the hard way,

我得用很艱苦的方式學到這些，

after I had already set up an orphanage in Cambodia.

在我已經在柬埔寨 設立了孤兒院之後，

I had to eat a big piece of humble pie to admit

我得要很屈辱才能承認

that I had made a mistake

我犯了一個錯誤，

and inadvertently become a part of the problem.

我在不經意間， 也變成了問題的一部份。

I had been an orphanage tourist,

我曾經是參訪孤兒院的遊客，

a voluntourist.

曾經是志工，

I then set up my own orphanage and facilitated orphanage tourism

接著我建立了自己的孤兒院 來促進孤兒院觀光，

in order to generate funds for my orphanage,

目的是想要為我的孤兒院募集資金，

before I knew better.

這些都是在我知道更多之前。

What I came to learn

我後來學到的是，

is that no matter how good my orphanage was,

不論我的孤兒院有多好，

it was never going to give those kids what they really needed:

它永遠不可能給予 那些孩子真正所需要的：

their families.

他們的家人。

I know that it can feel incredibly depressing

我知道這可能會讓人感到非常沮喪，

to learn that helping vulnerable children and overcoming poverty

發現協助脆弱的孩子以及克服貧困

is not as simple as we've all been led to believe it should be.

並沒有我們被引導認定的那麼簡單。

But thankfully, there is a solution.

但，謝天謝地，這是有解決方案的。

These problems are reversible and preventable,

這些問題是可逆的、可預防的，

and when we know better,

當我們知道更多，

we can do better.

我們就可以做得更好。

The organization that I run today,

我現在經營的組織，

the Cambodian Children's Trust,

叫做柬埔寨兒童託管（CCT），

is no longer an orphanage.

它不再是間孤兒院。

In 2012, we changed the model in favor of family-based care.

在 2012 年，我們改變經營模型， 來支持以家庭為基礎的照顧。

I now lead an amazing team of Cambodian social workers,

現在我旗下有一個很棒的 柬埔寨團隊，成員有社工、

nurses and teachers.

護士、及老師。

Together, we work within communities

我們共同在社區內努力，

to untangle a complex web of social issues

解開糾結在一起的複雜社會議題網，

and help Cambodian families escape poverty.

協助柬埔寨家庭脫離貧困。

Our primary focus is on preventing some of the most vulnerable families

我們的主要焦點是在一開始就要預防

in our community

我們社區內

from being separated in the first place.

最脆弱的家庭被拆散。

But in cases where it's not possible

但若遇到做不到的情況，

for a child to live with its biological family,

無法讓孩子與血親家庭住在一起，

we support them in foster care.

我們支助他們被寄養。

Family-based care is always better

家庭本身的照顧總是會比

than placing a child in an institution.

將孩子送到機構中要好。

Do you remember that first photo that I showed you before?

你們還記得我一開始 展示的那張照片嗎？

See that girl who is just about to catch the ball?

看到那個即將要接到球的女孩了嗎？

Her name is Torn

她的名字叫托恩。

She's a strong, brave and fiercely intelligent girl.

她是個堅強、勇敢、 且非常聰明的女孩。

But in 2006, when I first met her

但在 2006 年，我初次遇見她時，

living in that corrupt and abusive orphanage,

她住在那腐敗且濫權的孤兒院中，

she had never been to school.

她從來沒有上過學。

She was suffering terrible neglect,

她受到嚴重的忽視，

and she yearned desperately

且她極度渴望

for the warmth and love of her mother.

得到母親的溫暖與愛。

But this is a photo of Torn today with her family.

這是托恩現在的照片， 與她的家人在一起。

Her mother now has a secure job,

她的母親現在有個穩定的工作，

her siblings are doing well in high school

她的手足們在高中學習有成，

and she is just about to finish her nursing degree at university.

她即將要拿到大學的護理學位。

For Torn's family --

對托恩的家庭而言……

(Applause)

（掌聲）

for Torn's family,

對托恩的家庭而言，

the cycle of poverty has been broken.

貧窮的循環被打破了。

The family-based care model that we have developed at CCT

我們在 CCT 所發展出來的 以家庭為基礎之照顧模型

has been so successful,

非常成功，

that it's now being put forward by UNICEF Cambodia

現在連柬埔寨聯合國兒童基金會及

and the Cambodian government

及柬埔寨政府都提議

as a national solution to keep children in families.

將它用做國家解決方案， 來讓孩子能待在家庭中。

And one of the best --

最好的方法之一……

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And one of the best ways that you can help to solve this problem

若要協助解決這個問題， 最好的方法之一，

is by giving these eight million children a voice

是讓這八百萬孩童能夠發聲，

and become an advocate for family-based care.

並成為以家庭為基礎 之照顧的提倡者。

If we work together to raise awareness,

如果我們共同努力來提高 人們對此事的意識，

we can make sure the world knows

我們就能確保世界能知道

that we need to put an end to the unnecessary institutionalization

我們需要終結脆弱的孩童 在不必要的情況下

of vulnerable children.

被送到機構收容。

How do we achieve that?

我們要如何做呢？

By redirecting our support and our donations

將我們的支援和捐助轉向，

away from orphanages and residential care institutions

不再提供給孤兒院和住宿照護機構，

towards organizations that are committed to keeping children in families.

改提供給承諾能 讓孩子留在家中的組織。

I believe we can make this happen in our lifetime,

我相信，我們能在 有生之年做到這一點，

and as a result, we will see developing communities thrive

而結果將會是，我們能看到 發展中的社區更加茁壯，

and ensure that vulnerable children everywhere

並確保各地的脆弱孩童

have what all children need and deserve:

能擁有所有孩童都需要且應得的：

a family.

一個家庭。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）