Across the world, hundreds and thousands of children are kept in orphanages. These children, who have no home, parents and siblings to play with, are kept in a place where all they have left is their childhood; and this too is taken away from them in these living hells. Most people would define the word orphanage as a public or private institution for the care and protection of children without parents. However, this definition is far from what orphanages actually are. Orphanages do not establish care and protection for orphans, but instead abuse them and make their lives miserable. But this abuse is not just limited to physical abuse; mental, emotional and sexual abuse are also included in their daily lives. With poor and squalid facilities, cribs for 11-year-olds to sleep in, minimal food to eat and inhumane care, these helpless children have no choice but to endure this treatment. However, there are orphanages out there that care for their children. They give them adequate food and clothing and have a clean environment, but the children are still neglected and do not receive the love and care they need and deserve. Poor countries like Bulgaria are unable to offer their orphans a suitable environment to live in. Even nurses and staff at orphanages do not fulfill their responsibilities to care for them. Orphanages were originally created to give parentless children care and love, but now the meaning and reality of orphanages have changed to a nightmare. Orphanages are not a recent addition to our society, in fact, the history of orphanages dates back to the 1st century AD. The first orphanages were founded by the Orthodox Church and were called “orphanotrophia”...... middle of paper.... ..villages. Today, despite many improvements in these institutions, conditions are still inhumane and uninhabitable. The sight of these orphanages is very disturbing. Babies sitting in their own urine and feces, toddlers banging their heads on steel cribs, and babies tied to chairs by their shirt sleeves. These orphanages are not only understaffed, but staff abuse and neglect of children is also unchecked. Seeing all this misery, there are many people who want to adopt Roman children, but the adoption laws in Romania do not favor children's rights and instead favor parents' rights. Romanian children can only be adopted if their biological parents are deceased. Even if deceased, all other family members, immediate and distant relatives, must give up their rights for the child to become eligible for adoption.