New Zealand
It is estimated that 2.8 million adults and children became infected with HIV in 2006 in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is more than in all other regions of the world combined. About two million of them are children younger than fifteen years old. Almost nine in ten children younger than fifteen years old living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa.
• By the end of 2005, an estimated 1.8 million children in Kenya had been orphaned by AIDS and 170,000 children were living with HIV.
• By the end of 2006, there were 70,000 children in need of antiretroviral therapy (ART) but only 12,000 enrolled in the programme.
The Total Care Project
Roughly thirty-eight percent of the population in the Meru district of Kenya are living with HIV or AIDS. Around 40,000 children of the 500,000 plus population here are HIV positive. Young parents die of AIDS related illnesses, leaving behind many children and elderly people without any family support or social security net. For families affected by HIV/AIDS the eldest child often has to forfeit their education to take care of their family. In other families grandparents must step in and take on the role of parent again, going back to labouring jobs in the field in order to support their grandchildren’s everyday needs, health and education.
In Kenya, the Total Care Project provides care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) and their children and families, and aims to improve their quality of life.
This projects aims to:
• enhance the capacity of children and their families to cope with HIV/AIDS and provide support and care for those in need
• extend HIV and AIDS services to reach outlying communities
• improve access to HIV and AIDS services
• encourage the wellbeing of orphaned and vulnerable children to survival, development, protection and participation
• strengthen the livelihood of the community, as well as it’s economic status, and to safeguard the welfare of orphaned and vulnerable children.
Case Study: Elias and his grandmother
Elias is HIV infected and had tuberculosis. A few months ago doctors gave up and told his grandmother to prepare for the end of his life. Then she found out about Save the Children’s Total Care Project where she has learnt how to take care of Elias’ nutrition and medication needs to keep him well. Within weeks Elias was up and about and then able to go back to school. He now helps his grandmother to look after the small piece of land she farms which helps her to look after Elias. Save the Children has also given a goat to help increase the income she can earn. Elias’s grandmother has lost 8 family members to AIDS and doesn’t want to lose him too.
More information
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