His Majesty King abdullah II hosts Iftar for Orphans

(Royal Hashemite Court, Communication & Information Division - Amman) His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said that orphans leaving care organisations should either complete their higher education or learn vocational skills to secure them a decent life as grown-ups.

In statements to the press on the sidelines of the annual iftar hosted by the King for about 1,000 orphans from 24 orphanages, Minister of Social Development Abdullah Oweidat said King Abdullah had instructed concerned authorities to place more focus on exploring and investing in the talents of orphan students in these centres.

King Abdullah also told officials to secure scholarships for school graduates among these children to enable them to continue their education.

Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania were joined at the iftar table by some of the children under a vast tent erected at the Arabian Horse Club, south of Amman.

Among the invitees were 72 children from the Irbid-based King Hussein Orphanage, which Queen Rania paid a visit to this Ramadan.

One of the centre's supervisors, Manal Melhem, told The Jordan Times that the orphanage had received a new 14-seater bus and new computers upon the King's directives during a visit last Ramadan.

For her part, the Queen promised to provide a new 32-seat bus along with a gymnasium and other essential equipment, Melhem said.

The centre's children attending the iftar expressed their appreciation to the King and Queen, official agencies and members of the local community.

All of the children interviewed by The Jordan Times expressed their satisfaction with the level of services offered at the orphanages.

According to social workers employed in these centres, students one day have to leave the orphanage and return to live with relatives. This usually occurs when the orphans have reached their teen years.

Sameera Qaddoumi, who works at the Orphan Care Society in the Bayader area, said a survey of the family situation is conducted before the child is reunited with relatives. If the family is not ready, the child will be placed in a boarding school that serves orphans until they graduate.