Orphans as defined by the Bible are children who are without fathers and many references associate them with widows. One notable scripture where widows and orphans are mentioned together is James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

The word orphan is a Greek derivation meaning a child who has lost both parents through death. The American Judicial System defines an orphan as a person who is without parents and has been abandoned from all familial associations.

Many prominent people were orphans: Johann Sebastian Bach was orphaned at the age of 10, but had other relatives. George Washington Carver was orphaned as an infant but was adopted by a family who were not his relatives. Herbert Hoover, orphaned at the age of 10, had other family. Percy Spencer (inventor of the microwave), who was orphaned at age 3, had other relatives. Leo Tolstoy, orphaned at age 9, also had relatives. Society labeled them as orphans because they had lost parents, but they all had relatives to rely on with the exception of George Washington Carver who was adopted by an unrelated married couple. They overcame the societal derogative term orphan in times of difficulty and challenge.

Society in the United States began to realize that there was a need to do something with the growing population of unclaimed children in the 19th century, whereas England and Europe had a large population of unwanted children living on the streets beginning in the 18th century. With no living relatives to care for these children, they were sent to almshouses, which were first established in Britain in the 10th century. They offered charitable housing for the poor, widows, and orphans. In Europe, children with adults housed in such facilities were often expected to work in some type of manual labor that was accompanied by physical abuse. Before the United States implemented the Social Security Program in the 1930s, there was no protection or labor employment law. Poverty, indigence, and orphaned were derogatory labels for anyone who did not have the means to take care of themselves. Children mostly became orphans from being born out of wedlock or women dying in childbirth. The Civil War left numerous children without relatives and family.

In the 18th century many abandoned children lived on the streets in New York. Local governments established institutions known as orphanages for many street children during this time. In 1850, New York had 27 orphanages operated by the government and private finances. The population of abandoned children grew in the New York area to over 10,000 and the government needed to find solutions for them. They attempted to introduce the idea of adoption to new parents, but couples are more open now to this concept than they were in the 1800s. Because it was not a suitable arrangement at that time for parents to adopt abandoned children, New York City decided to ship them to families on farms in the Midwest and they were given train tickets to Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma on trains which became known as the Orphan Trains. Several children were adopted by farmers.

Another increase in orphans occurred during and after World War I. The Great Depression left children on the doorsteps of churches by families who could not care for or feed them. They were housed in orphanages until their parents had the means to take them back and care for them. This struggle introduced social welfare and government subsidy programs. Society changed their understanding of orphans and abandoned children in the 1960s, and while there are still some orphanages in operation today in the United States, there is a change from housing children in them to placing children with families in foster care and group housing programs. Foster care programs are still in effect today and there are programs to help children find relatives and discover where their original parents are residing.

Abandoned and unclaimed children in the United States have better opportunities and living conditions than their predecessors. In 2006, the population of orphans in the United States was 302, 841 and 75,757 were under the age of 18, while 20, 776 were under the age of 5. The death rate of orphans in the United States in 2006 was less than 14.

In other countries of the world, however, orphans have greater risk of survival than any preceding generation. They are more numerous and concentrated in specific areas of the world because plagues and diseases killed their parents and family members. HIV/AIDS is the major contributor to large populations of orphans in the Sub-Sahara Region of Africa, the geographical area south of the Sahara Desert. The countries in this region are the poorest in the world.

In 2006, an estimated 15 million children worldwide under the age of 18 have lost one or both parents to this horrible disease (Orphans and HIV). Being left with no supportive relatives or family the orphans must fight for survival with the added stigma of HIV/AIDS. Orphans in this world are affected by many difficult and desperate situations as indicated in Figure 1 (Global Action for Children and My Orphanages.org).

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) monitors and tracks the number of orphans worldwide. UNICEF projects that the number of orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa (countries south of the Sahara Desert) will be 16 million by 2010. Zimbabwe and Botswana sharing a border in southern Africa will have the greatest increase of 77% and 76% respectively.

In 2006, Nigeria had the largest population (in the millions) of orphans. Figure 2 illustrates the population of orphans produced because of the HIV/AIDS disease.

Other conditions produce orphans in the world. Figure 3 shows orphan populations in countries as the result of malnutrition, wars, and parents who give up their children to social service organizations as some of the reasons.

Especially in the Sub-Sahara Region of Africa in extreme poverty areas basic necessities of clean water and food are reported. Medical care, nutrition, and education are greatly needed as well.

There are some organizations available to serve this vast population of orphans. However, the need exceeds the capabilities and number of these organizations. My Orphanages Organization tracks the names, locations, and population of children being served through orphanages in the world. The number of orphanages is insufficient to meet the vast population of orphans in high-risk regions. Figure 4 shows orphanages in countries with large populations of orphans as the result of HIV/AIDS. Notice that the number of children in these orphanages is much less than the orphans in their respective country as indicated in Figure 2. The Democratic Republic of Congo has an estimated 770,000 orphans. Myorphanage.org does not have listings for any orphanages in that country.

In summary, the number of orphans has increased since the 1900’s. Far more calamitous situations exist in the world, which contributes to the orphan population such as children who are orphaned when diseases such as HIV/AIDS take the lives of their parents and relatives. Orphans in the Sub-Sahara countries are greatly affected by government involvement, non-involvement, conflict, instability, societal-educational favor or rejection, and family unit responsibilities of the father or head of household. The burden of taking care of orphans in these countries is on the women who have lost their husbands or are unmarried. The stigma of HIV/AIDS diminishes the orphans’ chances of being accepted in society. Unmet basic needs of sanitation, clean water, and food decrease the survival rate of children who become orphaned. Orphans and women are easily exploited when left to take care of themselves.

While the United States, Europe and other developed countries continue to successfully provide better opportunities and living conditions for abandoned and orphaned children, it is estimated by 2010 there will be 15.7 million vulnerable children in the Sub-Sahara countries. This is a different world for the orphan, a world that needs to recognize that their plight is greater now than ever before.