In sub-Saharan Africa, most children whose parent or parents have died have normally been cared for within the extended family, an intricate and resilient system that has traditionally responded quickly to such a situation and still takes responsibility for around 90 per cent of orphans in the region. But the tidal wave of loss that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has occasioned has severely stretched this safety net, particularly in the most affected countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

Figure 4.4: Sub-Saharan Africa, epicentre of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, is the only region where orphan numbers are increasing. Click here to view this figure.

Households that have taken in orphans - whether these children are relatives or not - are likely to become poorer as a result because the household income will have to sustain more dependents. In Uganda, households with orphans had 77 per cent of the per-capita income of those without. Despite the undeniable stress placed on extended family networks, it is important to emphasize that retaining some sort of family life is extremely important for children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS.

Figure 4.3: Grandparents are increasingly shouldering the burden of care for orphans. Click here to view this figure.