The United Nations estimates there are over 16 million children under 18 that have been orphaned by AIDS worldwide. Many live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi many of these children live in child headed households, or stay with (often elderly) relatives who can do little to care for them.
The crisis is critical, and yet its full scale is still masked because of the time between when the parents become infected, and when they die. As adults continue to die over the next decade, an increasing number of orphans will grow without parental care. Over the years, many initiatives have been put in place to reverse the suffering, and the spread of the disease worldwide. The introduction of “Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT)” in 2008 has seen great success for HIV free babies being born.
Click here to read an informative article on the PMTCT.
The sad part is that even with the success of this program, it has come too late for many children today, who are suffering the effects of HIV/AIDS in their family. The Malawi Project and our partners (including you!) will continue to serve those that are infected. Nevertheless, ti is encouraging that their may be some relief for future generations.