S9 Ep989: Rethinking Orphanages: Brandon Stiver

Are orphanages helping orphans? Most Christians would say: obviously yes. But Brandon, who’s been working in orphan care for over a decade, says that they are actually perpetuating a system of care that is ultimately not helpful for orphans. Kids belong in families, and there are many other more healthy ways to help kids be raised in a family. Brandon is the senior director of global programs and partnerships for 1MILLIONHOME – an organization aimed at revolutionizing orphan care through broadly shifting mindsets and scaling up proven community-based models that reunite children with families and eradicate practices that lead to family separation. Brandon has worked in the child welfare and nonprofit sectors for over twelve years. Before joining 1MILLIONHOME, he led a family based care and advocacy program in Tanzania for several years. Brandon has also worked at a Tanzanian orphanage, in the Californian foster care system, at various churches and teaches on issues facing at risk children at the university level. He has his Master’s Degree in Global Development and Justice and is passionate about indigenous leadership, community mobilization and seeing global entities come together…