Jake Hummel: HIV/AIDS: The Impact on Children

HIV/AIDS: The Impact on Children by Jake Hummel

Throughout the world all types of children are affected by deadly
diseases. One of the most known and widespread diseases is HIV/AIDS. Each
year thousands of children either contract or die from this horrible
disease. One continent that has seemed to have the biggest problems with
HIV/AIDS is that of Africa. Over the past several decades there has been
a huge epidemic of HIV/AIDS where the disease has spread across the
continent like wildfire. The reason that it has spread so much is because
it can be transmitted both sexually and also through blood in syringes or
transfusion. Once you contract the disease there is no cure for it, there
are only medications that can slow down the disease. However these
medications are extremely expensive and also need to be taken on a very
specific schedule. Since they are so expensive it makes it almost
impossible for the people of Africa to receive the help they need due to
the fact that they wouldn’t be able to afford the medications.

The biggest question that stuck out the most was what is the effect of
all the kids in Africa that are around HIV/AIDS? Not only do i wonder
about the effects on the children surrounded or even infected with it,
but is there help for these kids, such as organizations? This is a very
important question because there are hundreds of thousands of children
all across Africa that are affected by this terrible disease. They can
be affected by contracting the disease from a family member often and
infected parent has HIV/AIDS. Also this has been one of the major
problems over the past several decades so getting more information about
this topic is essential.

After going through many articles on the internet i have found several
affects or impacts that the children of Africa have from HIV/AIDS. Many
of these affects and impacts are not good however there are several
examples of very helpful impacts. “In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately
50 million children have lost one or both parents, almost 15 million of
them due to HIV/ Aids” (Rosemary). These are extremely high numbers of
children that have lost their family members. I was stunned when I first
read this information because all that could come to mind is, now what
are the children doing? “Since these are such high numbers theUnited
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called on governments in the Sub
Saharan region to strengthen support systems, which provide the basis for
a more protective environment in families and communities to keep
children safe and strengthen families” (Rosemary). This is an extremely
good impact because without the help of the United Nations these numbers
would only increase and more and more children would be living in the
streets each day. With the increase in children living in the streets
this can cause them to join gangs, become other types of criminals or in
the worst case die. “High levels of poverty, HIV/Aids and lack of
knowledge on children's rights are increasing the number of street
children in Ntungamo District” (Perez). This is a major impact because
over the past several years the numbers of kids that are living on the
streets has been increasing due to this disease. It is extremely bad
because since they are living on the street they have no way of getting
food or other things that you need in order to survive.

Some other effects of HIV/AIDS on children are with their school work.
“Child upbringing is not the sole responsibility of the parents or
caregivers alone adding that HIV and AIDs has left many children without
parents or caregivers and there is a need to bridge the gap” (Vimbai).
This basically means that there are many kids that don’t get the correct
schooling due to the fact that their parents are either sick or have died
from this disease. There have also been some positive impacts that have
come out of this such as camps that have helped out many of the children
affected by HIV/AIDS. “In Africa, there is a growing trend among U.S.
based aid groups to organize HIV/AIDS awareness camps, these camps also
try to empower children affected by the disease, in addition to
activities like sports, dancing and arts and crafts, there are also
classes for hygiene and nutrition” (“US AID GROUPS”). This is a very
positive thing for the children because they do not only get a lot of
help from these people and learn good things but they are reminded that
there are people out there that really do care about them and want to
help them out in every way possible.

There are many things that the children of Africa have to go through on a
day to day basis. One of those things that they are surrounded by all the
time is HIV/AIDS. It is terrible that they have to be continuously
reminded of the terrible things that the disease does to people. They
also have to deal with the death of family members because there are so
many people that are affected in Africa. Throughout the book It happened
on the way to war by Rye Barcott he is exposed to all of the suffering
that goes on with a good majority of kids in Africa that are surrounded
by the disease. Since he sees all of the things that happen it made him
want to help out in anyway possible. Many other people have this same
feeling which lead them to start organizations to benefit these kids.
Without the help of these people many of the children in Africa would be
completely helpless.

References

Mirondo, Rosemary "Nation Moving Towards Children Protection System."
Africa News Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.

Rumanzi, Perez "Poverty Forces More Children to Street Life." Africa News
Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.

“US AID GROUPS ORGANIZE HIV/AIDS CAMPS IN AFRICA.” States News Service
30 July 2011. Infrotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.

Vimbai, Karumazondo “Learners Debate HIV And Aids.” Africa News Service 11
Aug. 2011 Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.