In many developing countries children with special needs are thought to be cursed or deserving less than a “typical child” and as a result are the disposable children of the world. The orphans with special needs are often abused, malnourished and abandoned.

The value of children with special needs has ben diminished over time through superstition and misinformation passed from generation to generation. Some things we have discovered:

• Children with special need in developing countries are abandoned at high rates.
• Through superstitions and wrong information children with special need are often discovered abused, starving to death or dying for lack of proper medical care.
• Orphans with special needs have few advocates.
• Orphanages often lack the ability, resources or staff needed to care for the special needs orphan.
• Many of the orphans or vulnerable children with special needs are starved and need a concentrated effort to feed them nutritionally.
• Appropriate medical care can save the lives of these children.
• Children need safe homes to provide specialized care, to love these Gems and to work to change the culture of the families, communities and country.

The Orphan Crisis is the silent crisis of our times. Out of sight- out of mind has never been a more appropriate statement than when it addresses the millions of Orphans in the world today.

A closer look into the crisis reveals the often overlooked, neglected and abused orphan with special needs. These precious children are the forgotten children of the world. IVO’s mission is to advocate, educate and mobilize individuals to partner with us to meet the very specific needs of the special needs orphan.