Orphans of AIDS

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It has been made clear that AIDS claims many lives all over Africa and a large group that is affected by this loss is the children of AIDS victims.  According to a 200 statistic the number of orphans from AIDS stood at about 1.2 million, with predictions saying the number would reach 20 million by 2010.  Orphans, or those that lose one or both parents, put strains on extended families and also on the government, who then must attempt to take over the care for them.  Africa simply does not have the resources nor the funding to take care of the adult citizens it has let alone the children.  Many groups have been created in the hopes of helping these children (an example would be the children's ministry commercials you see on TV asking you to sponsor a child) and while they have helped to an extent the problem is still growing.

The children that are orphaned end up living in such harsh and dire conditions that the chance of them reaching adulthood is slim.  The children are usually homeless or crammed into small houses with extended family and are usually lacking education and proper healthcare.  These orphans are not just from AIDS but also from the wars and conflicts that have continuously ravaged countries, though AIDS has created the most.  Religious groups are a major source of aid to help these children with a few examples being Missionaries of Africa and World Vision.

Women are at a higher rate as far as contracting HIV than men and this bodes even worse for the children.  Groups such as OrphanAid Africa work to help get mother's with HIV and AIDS treatment, knowing that children with a mother are more likely to grow up healthier and with an education.  The group also works to strengthen the family unit (what is left of it) and send these orphan children to school.

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These orphan children are the future of Africa and in order for Africa to survive and have any potential to thrive they must be educated both academically as well as how to prevent their fate from following that of their parents.  This generation must be cultivated and while their are groups doing amazing things for them more support and funding is needed from the government and not just the private sector if these changes are to really work.

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