AFRICA - Reduce the trauma of AIDS orphans by keeping them with family, sending them to school and helping them psychologically

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - When a child is orphaned because their parents died from HIV/AIDS, he or she needs much psychological counseling to deal with the trauma of loss. And when the child also lives in poverty, the prospect of recovery decreases even further. Studies have revealed a state of psychological distress among orphans so high as to suggest measures to improve their mental well-being through some attentions such as keeping them with family, sending them to school, effectively responding to their basic needs, offering them psycho-social care. Many African orphans live in extended families and are cared for by grandparents or other relatives. Studies show that staying with family, with brothers and sisters and with close relatives rather than distant, is the best solution for these children so enhance their emotional well-being.
In addition, there are few parents who leave a will, and in the event of a death in a family property grabbing is common, a tradition where orphans are deprived of any property by relatives. In Uganda, for example, 21% of those between 13 and 18 years suffer from property grabbing. This phenomenon undermines the livelihoods of families already weakened by the death of their parents. The families caring for orphans are already poor, in need of financial support, school meal programs, and other mouths to feed which lead to internal conflicts. They face heavy challenges as well as additional expenses and the responsibility of taking psychological care of the children in need. They also need their own expertise to respond adequately to the emotional needs of orphans. In fact, according to a study in South Africa in 2009, they do not receive the support they need and they totally lack social assistance. Equally important is assistance for the pain of loss, especially for younger children who still do not fully grasp the concept of death. Another issue is that the school dropout rate among orphans is becoming more alarming. They are often forced to leave school to assist sick relatives. The free primary education has undoubtedly helped to improve the overall frequency, but other factors continue to be an obstacle for the education of orphans. School self-help groups have been shown to reduce the psychological distress of children and teen orphans. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 30/11/2010)