If
you’re having a particularly bad day dealing with home
work or are stuck at home baby-sitting your pesky brother, consider
this: Today, over 11 million children under the age of 15 living
in sub-Saharan Africa have been robbed of one or both parents
by HIV/AIDS. Seven years from now, the number is expected to
have grown to 20 million. At that point, anywhere from 15 per
cent to over 25 per cent of the children in a dozen sub-Saharan
African countries will be orphans – the vast majority
of them will have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. (Unicef
Canada)
FEBBIE’S STORY
Fifteen-year-old Febbie is doing homework at her neighbour
Barbara’s home. Any similarity between her and your average
North American teen ends there. Febbie has lived by herself
in her family home since her parents died of HIV/AIDS, and her
older brother abandoned her soon after. Barbara, who has five
children of her own, also cares for her nephew (whose parents
died of HIV/AIDS), and pays Febbie’s school fees. Febbie’s
story is becoming increasingly common, as generations of children
in sub-Saharan Africa whose parents have succumbed to HIV/AIDS
have been orphaned. These children often find their way to orphanages,
but if you’re the oldest sibling, you’ll find yourself
trying to earn a living to support your siblings or whatever
remains of your family.
Children who have lost their parents are deprived of the basic
rights to live and grow in a family environment, which is crucial
for self-identity and self-esteem. Orphans are cared for by
society, and it is the responsibility of the community to care
for them. But in sub-Saharan Africa, with the growing number
of deceased parents, extended families and foster households
are often incapable of caring for orphans, where eight out of
every 10 children have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. If you
must earn a living to feed yourself or pay your school fees,
what would you choose? Older siblings — although only
one percent — temporarily head a household during their
parents’ illness and carry on taking care of their siblings
till relatives decide how to care for the orphaned children.
Such is the looming pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. And never
mind education. These children face basic challenges we take
for granted: a place to call home and three meals a day.
A GIRL CALLED PATIENCE
Thirteen-year-old Patience lives in a small village,
an hour north of the capital city of Harare in Zimbabwe. Patience
lost her mom six years ago, and her dad abandoned the family
when Patience’s mom first fell ill. Patience then moved
in with her aunt, but two years ago, when her aunt was unable
to feed her, Patience started living on her own, surviving on
support from a local community group. Patience should be in
high school next year, but there’s no one to pay her fees.
She is able to afford only two meals a day.
In families where there is sickness, and help is needed to take
care of a relative, girls are often the first ones withdrawn
from school to look after the ailing. And the death of a parent
makes teens like Patience extremely vulnerable to exploitation.
They may be forced into unsafe labour practices where they may
be forced to work long hours under dangerous conditions in exchange
for food. Some are sent away from home, exposing them to stigma
and stress. As options to earn a living decrease, girls are
further vulnerable to enter the sex trade as the only means
to earn a living. This, in turn, increases the exposure of yet
another generation of youth to HIV/AIDS.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The ravages of HIV/AIDS on the youth of a country have far-reaching
consequences. The next generation is driven deeper into poverty,
as they are unable to get an education and are forced to earn
a living instead. Governments in certain African countries struggle
with health budgets, which are stretched, trying to meet and
provide life-saving drugs to the already affected. After that,
there’s not much left to plan ahead with, especially to
support children. And then there’s the visibility factor.
African traditions of community support and extended families
living together makes it harder to spot orphaned children. Most
emotional and financial responsibilities are taken care of by
communities. Surveys in urban centres in Zambia show that only
one third of households with orphaned children actually receive
any kind of governmental support.
LET’S NOT GIVE UP YET
Don’t lose hope because there are people out there making
adifference, taking it upon themselves to amend small matters
that may help the bigger picture. Offering free, basic education
will ensure girls like Febbie and Patience can continue their
education without being forced out onto the streets. Building
safe places for children who are displaced is another way to
prevent abuse at the hands of strangers. Providing financial
and other kinds of assistance to a household, so that families
can continue living together, is another way that aid agencies
are trying to keep children with their loved ones. Most importantly,
raising awareness amongst children and supporting them is the
national responsibility of a country.
To
learn more or to get involved, check out:
www.unicef.ca
Unicef Canada has tons of information if you want to get involved
through school, with
the aid of your parents and teachers.
www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
Stephen Lewis is the U.N. Secretary General's
Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa but his love and concern
for Africa started way back in the 1960s when he was a teacher.
He was also the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations in
the 1980s. Now he travels extensively across Africa to bring
attention to women and children ravaged by the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
www.unaids.org
The Joint United Nations Programme
for HIV/AIDS brings attention to HIV/AIDS causes worldwide.
Produced
with the support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA).
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