The Social Affairs Ministry has estimated the number of orphans in the Kingdom at 12,300 with 8,600 of them living with foster families and 1,300 at the ministry's social care centers. The remaining 2,400 are taken care of by charitable societies. The ministry runs 18 orphanages across the Kingdom including five centers for children below 6, according to a report carried by Al-Hayat Arabic daily. It said the orphan boys and girls at these centers are provided with accommodation, food, clothing and healthcare. The ministry's agency for social care and families supervises the orphanages and organizes educational cultural and sports programs for children of various age-groups. "Social care centers provide comprehensive services to small orphans," said the report, adding that these special centers receive newborn babies in addition to children up to the age of 6 and provide them with a suitable social and family atmosphere. "There are five centers to take care of small children, who are provided with nutritious food under the guidance of nutritionists and other health officials. A specific amount is deposited in the account of every child soon after its admission to the center. The social care centers provide educational programs for orphans aged between 6 and 26, the report said. These centers are provided with doctors, nurses, psychologists, sociologists and trainers to take care of the residents and develop their various capabilities. There are 13 educational centers for orphans — nine are for boys and four for girls. Referring to the orphan sponsorship program, the ministry said orphans are given to families who are ready to take care of them as a family member. There are two types of sponsorship program: In one case, families look after the orphans without specifying a period while in the other, they take care of the children for a specified period. Foster families are given a monthly assistance of SR2,000 for taking care of an orphan aged below 6 and SR3,000 for an orphan aged above 6. "Once the period is successfully completed the family would be given SR20,000 as a gift in appreciation of their services," the ministry said. There are many private charitable organizations in the Kingdom that take care of orphans inspired by the teachings of Islam.
