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HIV/AIDS robs innocent children !
Unicef has identified that Poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS have emerged as the three greatest threats to the worlds children, making them lose their childhood and threatening the positive developments of recent decades.
Namibias biggest development challenge is to overcome HIV/AIDS and to lessen its devastating and multiple impacts. The epidemic is weakening the quality of public service delivery and the capacity of families and communities to care for children.
The rate of new HIV infections may be slowing down in Namibia; however, people who have been infected years ago are now falling sick and dying, with children losing their parents and other caregivers. HIV/AIDS forces children out of school, makes them more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, violence, stigma and discrimination. The 2001 Census indicates that Namibia has more than 97,000 orphans up to the age o 15. Estimates are that by 2021 the country will have over 250,000 orphans which means 1 in 10 Namibians will be Orphaned.
Most orphans and vulnerable children live in extreme poverty characterized by lack of basic necessities. AIDS robs our children of parental love, guidance and happy family up-bringings as they are usually left behind in isolation with poverty. For the ones left in the hands of the pensioners, insufficient care and food is usually the order of each day.
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It appears that the almighty has punished us, I don’t see any future, any life, I don’t see any sense why I should live’
Simon Nakahambo age 19, speaks after losing both parents to HIV/AIDS and holding the responsibility of raising three younger siblings |
