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According to UNAIDS, around 33 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2007, with over 2 million of these people being children. And every day, around 8,000 people under the age of 24 are newly infected with the HIV virus.
In South Africa alone, roughly 5.7 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS and the number of people affected by the virus continues to increase. Yet, less than 30% of people who need ARVs in the country have access to them. Although South Africa has the largest HIV-positive population in the world, the majority of its citizens living with HIV/AIDS do not receive adequate treatment.
Young people are particularly vulnerable to the impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. An estimated 280,000 children under the age of 15 were living with HIV in the country in 2008. Furthermore, about 1,800,00 children have been orphaned in South Africa alone due to the virus.
Khayelitsha, the community in South Africa where Ubuntu Africa provides services, is the largest township outside of Cape Town and is home to between well over one million people. In addition to having a high incidence of HIV, the Khayelitsha community also faces high levels of crime, unemployment and poverty. Many of the infected lack easy access to clinics, nutritious food, antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and even indoor plumbing, making their illness particularly difficult to manage. Currently, there are few support services offered to children and teens in Khayelitsha who are living with HIV.
After being diagnosed with HIV these young people are often left to bear much of the burden of this disease alone. There is a great need for a comprehensive HIV care program, which will provide services designed to assist and empower these young people living with HIV in Khayleitsha.
All information was taken from the UN organizations WHO and UNAIDS. For more information on HIV/AIDS in South Africa, please visit the UNAIDS website.
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