Welfare advocate seeks assistance for 921's orphans

Government agencies responsible for social education and welfare services should forge a mechanism for offering long-term tracking and assistance to children orphaned by the 921 earthquake, a professor said yesterday.

Feng Yen (馮燕), chairwoman of the Social Work Department of National Taiwan University and a board member of the Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF), made the appeal in connection with the upcoming third anniversary of the magnitude-7.3 earthquake that rattled Taiwan on Sept. 21, 1999, claiming some 2,400 lives.

Feng noted that the anniversary falls during the Mid-Autumn Festival -- a traditional time for family reunions.

"This is also a good time for our school and social administrative authorities to pay heed to the plight of young children orphaned in the disaster," she said.

Official tallies show that 134 children lost their parents in the earthquake. According to CWLF surveys, the tragedy has left deep scars on the minds of these young people.

Quoting the results of a recent survey, Feng said that the earthquake orphans miss their parents very much. "Some of them are afraid of the dark and cannot be left alone," she said.

The survey has also found that some orphaned children have "become precocious," while others have taken to drinking to forget their pains, Feng said.

Hsiao-ju (小茹), a second grader who has lived with her grandmother since her parents were killed in the quake, told foundation interviewers that she could not fall asleep without the company of her grandmother. "My grandmother buys a lot of food for me. I don't like to eat, but I have to force myself so I don't make her sad, " she said.

Chia-tze (家徹), an 18-year-old who lost his father in his early childhood and his mother and younger sister in the earthquake, said the death of his mother and sister dealt him a severe blow.

"I have been living with my uncle since the earthquake. At first, I couldn't adapt to the new life. I became an alcoholic and complained about everything all day long. With the assistance of social workers, I have finally achieved sobriety. Now I just want to study and plan my future," he was quoted as saying.

Analyzing the survey's findings, Feng said anxiety and a sense of guilt are common psychological reactions among young children who have been orphaned.

"If their emotions are not addressed properly, they may experience sleep disorders, develop behavioral problems and might even resort to violence," she said.

"They need long-term counseling," she explained, adding that the government should forge a comprehensive mechanism to track the lives of these orphans and offer counseling and other forms of assistance so that they can overcome their psychological wounds and grow up happy.