|
HIV/AIDS is producing orphans
at a rate unrivaled in the history of the world.
Over 12
million children in Africa have lost one or both parents to
AIDS. That number is expected to double within the next ten
years.
Extended families and communities, are being seriously disrupted
by the impact of AIDS. Communities heavily affected by AIDS are
being robbed of a generation of adults in their most productive
years, leaving behind children to be raised by relatives, left
on their own in households headed by children, or living alone
in unprotected, unclean streets. |
China
has over 1 million orphans. Many live in the over 1000
state run orphanages while others are in foster care,
private orphanages, or various other living situations. The
need for care is great - ranging from basic nutrition,
urgent medical care, formal education, greater stimulation,
and simply a warm bed.
|
Russia
has over 700,000 orphans. Like so many other countries with
large numbers of children without families to care for them,
there is a great need to provide the basic things children
need; warm clothing, bedding, stimulation, and education.
Children that are in orphanages are required to leave the
orphanage at age 17 and are unprepared to be on their own.
The first year away from the orphanage the majority turn to
crime, drugs or commit suicide.
|
|
The
Sparrow Village Project |
|
“A
hospice solution for dying children”
The concept of Sparrow Village
is:
-
to provide a Hospice for the dying,
-
a training center for the living
-
and a base from which to educate the public about HIV/AIDS.
- All
while caring for children with AIDS
Rev. Mark Simone met Rev. Corine
McClintock (ten years ago) when she was beginning to realize her
long awaited vision. With a few friends and the belief she was
being directed by God, she successfully designed and built a
village to care for the terminally ill. She soon found that the
village was mostly children…children found alone on the
streets.
The hospice village concept works so well that Sparrow Village
is becoming a role
model for children’s hospices around
the world.
With prayers and effort we can let others know
there is a way to provide care and love to the children of the
world. We do not have to create something new each time a
hospice is needed…the concept has been created for us! If one
women woman, with God’s help, can build a village on her own…what
can the combined efforts caring people, businesses and
organizations do? |
|
Links to more information |
|
Read about CAF Global Initiatives |
 |
|
The Africa Guide |
A complete and comprehensive guide to every
country in Africa
|
|
Africa Grantmakers |
The Africa Grantmakers' Affinity Group (AGAG) is a membership
network of foundations that are currently funding in Africa or
are interested in funding in Africa. AGAG was established as a
forum for foundations to exchange information and work together
in an effort to amplify current foundation funding and promote
increased and more effective grant making in Africa to better
address Africa’s development challenges. |
|
Foundations and Corporate
Giving Programs |
 |
|
World Aids Day |
 |
|
Nkosi Johnson |
 |
|
Facts on AIDS |
|
How many children are living worldwide with HIV/AIDS?
Of the 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, nearly
2.7 million are children under the age of 15, and 11.8 million
are young people aged 15-24. An estimated 3 million people die
from AIDS-related causes every year.
|
| |
All
homeless babies need to receive stimulation. Understaffed
orphanages are not able to provide the stimulation needed for
all babies. If babies can't be held, then getting them out of
the cribs and in a position that enables them to look around,
will help
them be stimulated.
|
| |
|
Right now, a child under 5 dies every 3 seconds because they
lack simple vaccinations and medications, adequate food and
clean water.
This isn't a game about survival.
|
| |
- The
sight of children begging in the streets is an indicator of
the conditions in which many under-age persons are living in
developed countries.
-
Studies have also shown that institutions no longer
represent the main source of children on the streets, as
broken homes, dysfunctional families and abandonment are
also forcing children into the streets.
- One
third of these children are illiterate, 40% have low writing
and reading knowledge and nearly 20% have never been to
school.
- Most
children living on the streets suffer from skin diseases,
tuberculosis or hepatitis.
-
Survival on the street is correlated with delinquency,
prostitution and drug use.
-
These street children represent, on the one hand, a positive
socialization failure, a part of the population which is not
able to fit in a legitimate labor market and, as a result,
they will represent, on a long term, the beneficiaries of
social assistance projects and services on the other hand,
survival on the street is correlated with delinquency,
prostitution and drug use.
It doesn't
have to be this way.
Get involved and
use the Sparrow Village Role Model to make a difference!
|
|
Are we part of a civilized world ...
...if we can stand by
and let these children die alone? |
|
©Sparrow Village Project copyrighted 2003 by Carol Conley
Ruggie |
