Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed.

Philanthropist, Activist, Researcher, Sr. Lecturer, Environmentalist. tweets in English, Dutch and Indonesian. He/His/Dr.

[Musée du Louvre @MuseeLouvre]

⚠️🇫🇷 Le musée du Louvre restera fermé aujourd'hui pour raisons exceptionnelles.
∴
⚠️🌍 The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons.

[Stop Orphanages Campaign @StopOrphanages]

📢 It’s time to shift toward family-based care, not institutions.
#StopOrphanages #ProtectChildren #FamilyBasedCare

https://t.co/YRD6LRKNtu

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

Paris..

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

Peace.

[Not Elon Musk @ElonMuskAOC]

Name one thing America didn't invent

Just one

[Vertigo_Warrior @VertigoWarrior]

Heartbreaking News💔

A massive 7.7 quake devastates Mandalay, Myanmar, and impacts Bangkok, Thailand.

A Thread Not for the soft-hearted ⚠️

[Westerlaken Foundation @WesterlakenFoun]

The Westerlaken Foundation has handled numerous cases of stranded marine mammals in Indonesian waters, particularly in Bali. In recent years, these cases have continued to rise, indicating serious ecological problems in our oceans. read more : https://t.co/phDXlN7dPP

[Westerlaken Foundation @WesterlakenFoun]

🌱 Empowering Families, Ensuring Food Security

The Westerlaken Foundation regularly holds meetings with empowered families to provide support and solutions to their challenges.
Mother Tika’s inspiring story shows how she strives to support her family through her sewing skills

[Westerlaken Foundation @WesterlakenFoun]

Westerlaken Foundation Conducts Free Dengue Vaccination for 500 Marginalized Children in Gianyar. Read more :
https://t.co/kPHIWla4F0

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

Check out my latest article: Understanding disruption: beyond the buzzword https://t.co/RJ3aW2QMEq via @LinkedIn

[Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono]

The Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky was designed to humiliate the Ukrainian leader on national television and give Trump the pretext to do what he wants to do: bring the war to an end on Russia’s terms https://t.co/ySAZcBIhpn

[iNews @officialinews_]

Pasangan Gay di Banda Aceh Dihukum Cambuk 82 dan 78 Kali di Depan Umum
https://t.co/vCAntH68Bv

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

6/ The solution? Stop orphanage-based care and invest in family-based alternatives that truly prioritise children’s well-being. It’s time to move beyond institutions and support real, sustainable solutions.

#StopOrphanages #ChildWelfare #OrphanageReform #Indonesia #FamilyBased

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

5/ While this growing awareness is a positive step, real change will only come through a shift to family- and community-based care. Institutionalisation should be the last resort, not the first response.

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

4/ This results in unnecessary family separation and fuels a system where institutionalisation becomes a business model. In Surabaya, authorities are now investigating and sanctioning orphanages that primarily function as donation collectors.

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

3/ In my PhD research (2020), I concluded that many orphanages in Indonesia operate as funding mechanisms, not child welfare institutions. Children who are not actually orphans are often placed in institutions to attract donations.

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

2/ Many of these orphanages bring in children from outside Surabaya, change their residency status, and shift the burden onto the local government. This is not just a tourism-driven issue in Bali—it’s happening across Indonesia.

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

1/ More people are starting to see the problems with orphanages, highlighted in a recent Kompas article about Surabaya. Mayor Eri Cahyadi raised concerns over the increasing number of orphanages, noting that some are created just to attract donations rather than care for children

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

Elon Musk, the richest man on earth, is dismantling USAID, which feeds the poorest children on earth.

This is oligarchy at its worst.

Musk’s actions are not only immoral and unconstitutional, they are counterproductive to our standing in the world.

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

5/ Research is clear:

❌ Institutions harm children
❌ Orphanages increase abuse risks
❌ 80% of children in orphanages HAVE parents
✅ Family-based care is the only ethical solution

[Dr. Rodney Westerlaken M.A., M.Si., M.Ed. @DrRodneyW]

5/ Children do not belong in institutions. They belong in families. Research is clear: institutionalisation damages mental health, stunts development, and increases vulnerability to abuse. We must end this system.