Our Director Keith Davies Speaks to NewsMax About The Plight of Orphans in the Middle East
In an interview on “America’s Forum” on Newsmax TV in 2014, Keith Davies, the director of RedeemTheOppressed.org, highlighted the dire situation facing over 50,000 orphans in the Middle East. He discussed the challenges these children face, primarily the fact that there is no adoption system set up for those who might be interested in adopting them.
Davies reported that his organization had found 95,000 refugees in a town called Surok, across from the Korban border, including 1,000 orphans. Additionally, there were an estimated 8,000 more orphans across the border in Syria and 12-15,000 near the border of Iraq on the Turkish side. These numbers do not include the Kurdish orphans fleeing from ISIS. The situation is similarly dire in Lebanon and Jordan, with the overall number of orphans estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
One of the main challenges facing these orphans is the lack of an international precedent to help them and the complex process of adoption in both the location of the orphans and the laws of those willing to adopt them. According to Davies, the orphans are currently being cared for by a patchwork of elder people and other refugees, and are often living on a diet of pita bread and tea. They have few possessions and are between the ages of 2-12. Despite the fact that there are already many people interested in adopting these children, the red tape makes it nearly impossible to do so.
Organizations such as ours, the international community, UN and the governments of the countries in the region had to play a vital role in addressing the needs of these children. The lack of access to education, health care and protection services leaves them at risk of exploitation, abuse and trafficking.
When asked how viewers could help and why the international media was not reporting on the war orphans, Davies stated that they did not know why the media was not reporting on the issue, but speculated that it may be because it simply does not sell. He urged viewers to help by donating to organizations like RedeemTheOppressed.org that are working to find solutions for these children and help them with basic needs and support.
The plight of war orphans in the Middle East is a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention and support. Though the situation on the ground is complex and constantly evolving, it is clear that conflict in the region has resulted in large numbers of children losing their families and being left without proper care and support.
As an organization, we are committed to helping these children and actively working towards finding solutions to this ongoing crisis. We urge our supporters to join us in this effort by contributing in any way they can. Whether through donations or volunteering your time, any assistance you can provide will be invaluable in helping us to make a positive impact on the lives of these vulnerable children. Together, we can work towards a brighter future for the war orphans of the Middle East.