Why you should help

One billion children are currently living in poverty, 10
million children are dying annually of preventable diseases and
malnutrition and 77 million children are out of school, 44 million of
these are girls. Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) face a number
of challenges, including finding money for school fees, food,
clothing, and access to basic healthcare. Their desperation makes them
more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, ultimately making them more
susceptible to contracting HIV. Less than 15 percent of OVC receive
any kind of international support -Effective responses to the
challenges facing these children must strengthen us to continue
providing care, protection, and assistance to them in, at minimum,
meeting their basic needs.

As one can imagine, the loss of a parent (or both parents) profoundly
affects a child economically, psychologically and socially. UNICEF enumerated the following effects of sickness and
death of a parent upon children:

(This is unfortunately a long list but please read it entirely to be aware of the childrens need.)

• Economic hardship - As parents succumb to sickness, they become unable to provide for their child financially and what little savings are available goes towards health care costs. As a result, children's needs, such as school fees and clothing, aren't able to be met

• Lack of love, attention and affection - While children of all
  ages need emotional support and stimulation, young children may be left without responsive care, stunting the child's emotional
  development and sense of wellbeing

• Withdrawal from school - Oftentimes, children become the care
  takers of a sick parent and are unable to attend school. Financially,
  families may no longer be able to afford school fees, supplies and
  uniforms as sickness devours the family's finances

• Psychological distress - Children suffer from the fear of loss
  once a parent has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS as well as the stigma that accompanies the disease in many regions of the world

• Loss of inheritance - In many countries around the world,
  property and inheritance laws do not protect the rights of orphans and widows and they are prohibited from claiming what is rightly theirs. Even when inheritance laws are on the books they are often not enforced

• Increased abuse and risk of HIV infection - Without parents to
  look out for their best interests, children can fall pray to sexual
  exploitation and child labor in order to provide for their needs.
  Because of the high-risk behavior in which they may be forced to
  engage, orphaned and vulnerable children are at an elevated risk for contracting HIV

• Malnutrition and illness - Orphaned children are at an elevated
  risk for malnutrition and illness in addition to a lack of access to
  health care

• Stigma, discrimination and isolation - When they are orphaned by
  HIV/AIDS, children must oftentimes leave their familiar surroundings and may not be as readily accepted by extended family members. Even when children remain in familiar surroundings, they may become victims of discrimination or isolation due to common misunderstandings of the disease and how it is spread