Organisation advocates legal-framework on foster children in Nigeria

The Halal Children’s Home, a faith-based organisation, has called for a legal framework to encourage fostering of orphans and vulnerable young persons in the society to promote nation building.

Mrs Ramatu Abubakar, the Vice President of the organisation, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on sideline of the 2019 World Adoption Day in Abuja with theme “Fostering: Secure the future”.

According to her, fostering is key incorporating them into larger society towards nation building.

“Fostering is in line with Islamic Law; the difference between adoption and fostering is that by adoption you lose identity of biological parent and take that of adoptive parent.

“While Islam wants you to retain your identity, so you can still take a child into your home and the child retains identity and you will do everything required.

“We want to let Nigerians know these children are in need of home; although Halal Home takes care of these children, the best place for a child is within the family.

“We are encouraging people to come and start the fostering process by taking these children into your home.” She appealed.

Similarly, Malam Abubakar Sadiq, leader of Ameer One Umar, a faith-based organisation, said it was important to promote fostering within the home and do it properly without turning the children into maids.

“Giving them love, providing them education, ensuring they have the best of clothes, whatever you give to your own children, you give to them, this is really what fostering is about.

“Unfortunately in this part of the world when we say fostering, it is really a family saying that a man has taken the children from the village, because they are poor. Then turn them into maids and that is not fostering, what you do is you built resentment in the heart of the child”, Sadiq cautioned.

In a separate interview, Mrs Joke Silva, a Nollyhood Actor, told NAN that there were lot of children who did not have home and also lot of homes which did not have children.

She observed that people were wary of what society would think and possible harm that could come to the family through such foster children.

Silva said: “I really do not think those things are tenable, even when the child comes through you.

“You do not foster a child out of pity, you foster a child out of love, there is a big difference, you foster a child out of love because you want the best for that child.

“You will want to give the best to that child, as the best that you are capable of emotionally, financially, physically, you must give the child your best.” She advised.