THE ORPHANS

Detrimental to a child in almost any case, the loss of one or both parents is made additionally difficult in the economic climate of enya and in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. As their parents battle the virus children are routinely tasked with caring for themselves, siblings, and often times for their ailing relatives. It is not out of the ordinary for these children to be saddled with the job of household breadwinner, forcing them to undertake labor intensive housework including cooking, cleaning, carrying water and laundry, as well as care giving activities such as feeding, bathing, toileting, giving medication and accompanying relatives for treatment, agricultural or income generating activities and childcare duties (Foster/Williamson 2000). It is no wonder why in turn the school dropout rates among children in these areas are so high, as on top of the time consumed taking care relatives infringes greatly upon time in the classroom, many of the funds that would possibly be put forward to educate these children are often diverted toward medical costs incurred by those infected with AIDS in the family. In extreme cases children are forced to live on the streets, turning to prostitution and begging as a means to survive.

This alone places a formidable impediment on the advancement of AIDS-impacted children in Kenya, further aggravated by the reticule many orphans endure as they face the stigma associated with the virus. Stigma refers to the prejudice, discrimination, mistreatment, and negative attitudes towards individuals living with and associated with HIV/AIDS. For AIDS-impacted orphans this stigma manifests itself in the form sunning and little community support, poor healthcare, non-admittance to schools, and the indirect stripping of rights. It has been found that the effects of this stigma are amplified on the developing minds of these children potentially causing serious psychological damage, affecting their happiness and success later in life.