Research on life of orphans

Research report on the lives of orphans and the working of the orphanage.

Index 1. Introduction 2. Aim 3.Objectives 4.Case Studies 5.Exercise 6.Conclusion

Introduction

To make living conditions of the orphans or the children in the orphanage better. How the orphanage functions and how can we make it safe for the children and the family too.Understanding the concerns of the children as well as the administration taking care of the children. Reviewing the functioning of the orphanage as a self sustainable organism, and identify the possible errors that can be experienced. Finding solutions or alternatives to the errors, or possible misconduct.

Aim

Using design as a medium to tackle different design challenges as well as ethical challenges of the working of the orphanage observed in the research.

“

Orphanage!

That is so sad

�

Concerns Can a space be created that makes the children with no family background inclusive in the society? i)The location of the orphanage being excluded from the society, only mentally. ii)The space only designed to give basic accommodation iii)A space ‘reserved’ for orphans? Or a space ‘Designated’ for orphans?

Isn’t it important to give the children emotional support as well as the physical support they have been provided with. i)Lack of emotional support for the children. ii)Caretaker just to have a supervision. iii)Necessity of developing EQ along with IQ.

Trying to make the space open with a crunch of space available for the orphanage.

i)The children shouldn’t feel confined in anyway. ii)If the parents wish to meet the children, the entrance shouldn’t feel for a ‘private’ space.

Case Studies Tried observing two extreme outcomes of an orphanage. One of them having an excellent standard of living for the children, and the other has been observed as more of a difficult living condition.

The orphanages in Nepal have a very bad reputation for running a culture of ‘Orphan voluntourism’. In which the children are brought from the parents having extremely poor conditions unable to look after their children.

This created negligence towards the children but more attention towards creating a negative ambience for the tourist to have empathy and for collecting donations.

So observing that and trying to know what all is to be avoided in a design.

The living conditions are seen to be below the average living conditions any human has a right to. But the discrepancies in the infrastructure is where they get their profits from the tourist volunteers, but do not tend to use them for the betterment of the facility.

So rather than promoting this idea how can we have a financially sustaining place where the people residing inside can generate revenue, as opposed to being dependent off the tourists. So that the orphanage comes out of the tourism industry and back to the social empowerment as it ideally should have.

KILROY Foundation

HAPPY HOME

This particular orphanage ‘Palmer Home’, is in Missisipi, United states. Here the standard of living of the children is said to be excellent compared to the world of orphanages.

It is becasue it was founded with a clear idea of discomfort for the unncessary pity of empathy people show towards orphans, and that would make the children feel bad about themselves.

The whole idea of how a orphanage should grow up was questioned for the design of this sucessfull orphanage.

Along with positive living conditions for the children, it also kindoff sustains itself through inhouse farming, and earns revenue off of that too.

Palmer Home

Exercises Mind map

Understanding chart

PERSUASIVE WRITING ORGANISER (MAP) Design Hook: To understand the problems of the children residing in the orphanage.

Argument 1.

Can a space be created that makes the children with no family background inclusive in the society?

1. a The location of the orphanage being excluded from the society, only mentally.

Thesis Statement:

Argument 2.

Isn’t it important to give the children emotional support as well as the physical support they have been provided with.

2. a Lack of emotional support for the children

Argument 3.

Trying to make the space open with a crunch of space available for the orphanage.

3. a The children shouldn’t feel confined in anyway.

1. b The space only designed to give basic accommodation

Conclusion:

leading to spatial, material idea

1. c A space ‘reserved’ for orphans? Or a space ‘Designated’ for orphans?

2. b Caretaker just to have a supervision 2. c Necessary to develop EQ as well as IQ

3. b If the parents wish to meet the children, the entrance shouldn’t feel for a ‘private’ space.

3. c

Conclusion: leading to programmatic understanding

Questionare Management

1. How many children do you take care of currently?

2. How difficult is it to manage these many children?

3. What are the different reasons for the children being here? And what is the main reason?

4. What are the different spaces you have in your facility, ie kitchen, dining area, living area, study area?

5. What types of activities you conduct for the children, and how frequently?

6. Do you think children staying here are happy? And do you address the negative emotions they might feel?

7. What do you think is more important for the kids, physical attention or emotional attention?

8. How do you aim to be better?

Children

1. What’s your age?

2. What do you do the whole day?

3.

4. Doing which activity you enjoy the most?

5. What is the most boring thing you do?

6. How many friends do you have here?(To know the number of people the child interacts on daily basis and does it include any person from the management) 7. Do you go out frequently?

8. Do you like spending your day inside the facility or outside more?

9. What time of the day are you free and relaxed?

10.Where do you like to spend most of the time inside the facility?

11.What do you hate about this place and would like to change?

Parents

1. Since when has your kid been there? How old is he/she?

2. What was the reason, if you are fine sharing?

3. How do you cope up emotionally with this fact?

4. How frequently do you go and visit him/her?

5. Do you meet him/her inside the facility or outside?

6. Do you like the place he/she is staying in?

7. What is the management of the place like?

8. How well are you connected with the facility knowing the whereabouts of your child? What is the frequency of the updates?

9. How well do you trust the facility? Any significant experience regarding that?

Conclusion Is there a need to be specific about the space for an orphanage. Can be fluid in its nature, without defining boundaries. Should it be feeling like a ‘home’ or a ‘shelter’ to the children present. Or a getaway or a vacation place for any child who comes and can stay however long he/she wants. Including the legal part of an orphanage, can there be some relaxing rigidity or authority and creating more of an open environment. Where rather than having a ‘caretaker’ can there be a ‘caregiver’? Do these changes in terminologies of ‘Orphan’, ‘Orphanage’,’Caretaker’; have any impact on the working of the system?

And also the term of being an orphan. What are the specifications of an orphan? Because most of the children staying in an orphanage are not actually the children who don’t have anyone in the world to look after, but the circumstances are such. If there is so much diversity in reason, why is there such a stern mentality for them in the society? If 10 children would be placed in front of you, you would not be able to distinguish if any of them were orphans. If there is no clear distinction between children, how can it make them exclusive of the other children in this world. Why are they living their lives separate from society? And the only visitors they get are from the mere pity they have towards them. Will it change? As much as the physicality in solving the problem for the children, as in giving them a space to live, food to eat, and education. Isn’t it equally if not more important for them to be provided with emotional solutions. Why should they be having any less of an emotional development compared to a child having a family. And also, what is the clear concept of family. Does it only mean the biological connection you have with someone. Or is it much more than that?