An orphan, wearing the typical Lesotho blanket.

HIV/AIDS has resulted in increasing numbers of orphans

Lesotho has the third highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world following Swaziland and Botswana. The disease strikes hardest at men and women during their most productive years.

Free HIV/AIDS drugs have been available in hospitals since 2004 – thanks to government and the Global Fund. However, too many adult lives are still being lost which is devastating children’s overall development and tearing apart the social fabric of entire communities.

Many orphans and vulnerable children are dependent on elderly unemployed grandmothers. Others live in child-headed households, caring for younger siblings and forced to be self reliant. These children are an easy target of violence, abuse and exploitation.

Survival mechanisms

Orphaned children are prone to risky behavior because they lack parental supervision. Limakatso Chisepo, Director of the Department of Social Welfare – the government department tasked with the care, support and protection of orphans explains why girls are particularly susceptible: 

“With girl children, some are burdened with domestic work. The girl child may be forced to marry early, or might decide to marry early to support herself. They are desperate for finances so intergenerational relationships are rife. Girls think ‘If I go out with a married man he’s going to support me.’”

Chisepo says very young girls earn money from sex: “If both parents were there providing for their child you would not see them selling themselves.”

Boys have different challenges. It’s easier for them to earn money herding livestock – a traditional occupation in Lesotho – than it is to continue school. Many of them drop out of school and are exposed to social problems, plus they lack education and skills to help them to survive in adulthood.

An orphan in his new school uniform with his teacher.

Education

Since 2000 primary education to the age of 12 has been provided for free in Lesotho but there are fees for further education. One of the country’s most serious challenges is getting children from poor families into high school.

For AIDS orphans even the free primary school may seem out of reach because they can’t afford a school uniform. Not wearing a uniform would not lead to dismissal, but children without can’t help but feel “different” from their classmates. The Global Fund is helping to finance organizations that buy uniforms and offer support to orphans. Read more…

Education is key for a brighter future and the Global Fund, together with the government, offers high school bursaries for orphans and vulnerable children. However the procedure to qualify for help with school fees is too complicated for some, especially vulnerable children in rural areas. Help in applying for bursaries for school fees is just a phone call away.

Childline – saving lives, protecting rights

Childline ensures social workers are standing by, day and night, for children who have no one else to see them through. It’s sponsored by the Global Fund and UNICEF. Calls are free and telephone operators – trained in social welfare skills – give advice on issues like school bursaries and also respond to critical or even life-threatening incidents. Childline staff ensure abandoned children or children in abusive situations are provided with a safe place to stay. See who’s been dialing Childline…

Childline staff work closely with a national network of regional and community social workers coordinated by the Social Welfare Ministry to ensure that orphans and vulnerable children receive the help they are entitled to wherever they live.

Lesotho police officer.

Property grabbing

When the head of a family dies, adult relatives may feel entitled to take over the house even when it’s needed by children still living at home. Property grabbing – as the practice is termed in Lesotho – means that AIDS orphans often lose not only their parents but also the family home, land and cattle.

One solution is to encourage people to leave a will. The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) is promoting the idea of leaving a will to help protect the inheritance rights of orphans and vulnerable children.

Cofinanced by the Global Fund, FIDA works to stop children from being dispossessed of their parents’ belongings. The organization trains paralegals to handle cases of property grabbing – hear an orphan describe how his property was taken from him….

As well as sensitizing communities on inheritance rights and laws affecting orphans through radio programs and leaflets, FIDA also provides a basic training for police staff on the legal rights of children and women.

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