How would you choose?

Our orphanage is brand new. As far as my knowledge goes, we have yet to have permanent orphan-residents. What I've been told is that part of our job is to find and bring orphans to our center. So far, the only qualification is that they are truly orphans. Although this seems obvious, it is not all that simple. Many of the children our volunteers have met and have spoken to are street children, but not orphans. Many of them had left their villages to find work in Arusha. Some had even left orphanages in search for a way of life with less restriction and more freedom. As disheartening as it seems, I guess it was naive of me to think that our help would be in great demand by all.

After being sparked by Michael's question, hence the title of this post, I want to open up this question to all of you. How would you choose? What kind of criteria would you create?

The basics: Is this child an orphan (specifically, are both parents deceased)? Does this child want help?

Another thing I think you all should know. In the words of OHS...

The purpose of empowering education is to promote academic enrichment, life skills, and character development of the children to build effective lives and become potential community leaders, so that they may continue the cycle of positive social change.

Education is the way we choose to help.