Yesterday, we went to an event that was an interactive tour showing the plight of children in Africa. It highlighted how nearly 12 million people in Africa are infected with the aids virus, many of which are children. Not only are these areas poor but many of the children have no parents at all. These children need help, they need someone to takr care of them. World Vision is try ing to do something for these children
Because of the enormous and rapidly increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), World Vision believes that providing effective care means looking beyond our existing community operations to partner with faith and community-based organizations in order to reach as many affected children as possible. We have seen that effective care for orphans and vulnerable children involves addressing 7 core needs:
1. Education
· Ensuring that all barriers to primary school attendance are overcome (e.g. fees, uniforms, supplies, stigma and discrimination, etc.)
· Arranging apprenticeships/vocational education for older OVC
2. Emergency nutritional support (when necessary)
3. Referrals and transport to health outreach workers, clinics, and other health facilities (when necessary)
4. Protection against abuse and neglect – through negotiation, advocacy, and referrals
5. Spiritual and psychosocial counseling and support
6. Succession planning (Preparing for the loss of a parent)
a. Memory books and memory boxes
b. Identification of standby guardian
c. Protection of inheritance rights
7. HIV prevention and awareness (Peer education, values education, reproductive health education, etc.)
Please see if you can personally do something to help these children...After all we are so blessed here in America.