This article argues that poverty is a major driver of family separation in Pakistan, forcing many parents to place their children in orphanages or care institutions not out of choice, but as a survival strategy. It highlights that most children in these institutions are not actually orphans but have living parents who cannot meet basic needs, and emphasizes that while institutions may provide material support, they cannot replace the emotional care and sense of belonging that families provide—underscoring the need to address poverty itself rather than relying on institutional care.