NGOs & Religion In Trinidad and Tobago

[Shadowhunter]

I was looking for a specific type of non-profit group nearby and according to a list of NGOs in Trinidad & Tobago, quite a lot of these groups are religious in nature and upon doing further research, are monitored by the relevant religious organizations/buildings. Now you all know I am an atheist, but I still respect people that use their religion to live honestly etc so this is not a thread condemning religion (<<disclaimer lol).

I once visited a children's home that did not advertise itself as religious, but once receiving children in need, stated that the children would need to be baptized and re-named, given "more Christian sounding" names and only then would they gladly be admitted when they were accepting of Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.

Seeing as how these children were between the ages of 1-11 I doubt they really understood what was happening or what was wrong with their cultural names in the first place. The people in charge of the children were a very young couple who in addition to their own very young child, also lived off the donations etc given and had no previous training or experience with children, counseling, or treating and interacting with victims of abuse etc. The children were prayed for and referred to as heathens and wild children that needed saving and sinners on the wrong path that needed to be placed on the right path etc.


I feel in that instance, the pastor and surrogate parents chose their words poorly as the children were the ones wronged by their abusive experiences and the abusers and were in no way sinners or heathens for having been victims of terrible actions or for being given cultural names and should have had that explained to them instead of what was repeatedly said to them and in front of them. I also feel it should have been important for them to have been willing to accept the children as they were and not make it a point that something was wrong with these simple children and that they had to be changed in order to be given shelter and shown love and have their basic needs provided for.


I am aware that similar protocols follow suit in other places of need based on religion and that if those in need refuse to convert, change their names, beliefs, etc. they will be turned away. I think these organizations should use their resources to help anyone in need rather than to exercise such discrimination. I don't think this is what non-profit groups are supposed to be about. What are your thoughts on groups like this?

 

[LadyDeath]

There is a certain homes in the Central area also NGO that only take in children of certain religion. When they are admitted, they are forced to take part in the religious activities, prayers , functions etc.
The homes get alot of donations but yet you see the children with the most washed out clothing.



i think these type of NGOs need to be checked on regularly by social workers and employees need to be certified to handle these type of situations and the children that live there e.g counselling, therapy etc. Here in Trinidad, we have experienced this, where at the St . Micheals home for Boys , the boys were sexually/mentally,verbally/physically abused by management and one of them even got an employee pregnant. When people think of homes here, they consider it a good deed. However, people need to think about what goes on behind closed doors. These children need regular counselling and visited by social workers

 

[Shadowhunter]

I agree. In the home I visited with the children, the pastor was very well dressed, loaded up with jewelry and had a new looking Audi. The surrogate parents both were decked off in jewelry and the male was wearing a lot of bling too. Their own young child was very well dressed and wearing a lot of gold jewelry as well. The church area was tiled, painted, AC'd, in great condition, but the children's area looked like an old time home with bare minimum. There was no clothing, toys, school supplies etc available for the children and the beds had no blankets. Clothing etc all had to be supplied by a group helping them at the time. The children stayed briefly before they were pulled out and during the stay they were not given any more clothing or supplies nor were they counseled or educated, prepped for school etc in any way.


For these homes to be legit, they should have their staff be tested, trained, and interned at the very least first. I have donated to places in the past, and even simple groups and families etc I've seen refuse to give the children in need the items and use the children's clothing as floor mats or sell it to pocket the change. I have heard that sometimes the employees take the items home for themselves and their children too. It's really sad because these children are taken out of dysfunctional situations and put into those places with the intention of living in a better life in a healthy, functional environment.

There needs to be some transparency and some way to regulate what goes on. I don't understand how places can call themselves homes or shelters for those in need if they turn people away based on calling their God a different name.