[pronut-hiv] Ethiopian orphans fend for themselves

["ProNut-HIV" <pronut-hiv@healtnet.org>]

Ethiopian orphans fend for themselves

Last Updated: 2005-06-29 13:28:41 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Katie Nguyen

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Tadeau Abera wants to be like the other children chasing through the rain-splashed alleyways of her shanty town on the edge of Addis Ababa.

Instead, the 13 year-old wakes at dawn to prepare breakfast for her siblings, fetch the water, wash their clothes and clean their one-roomed home.

Once the chores are finished, she slings a white satchel across her back and heads to school.

Like more than one in 10 Ethiopian children, Tadeau is an orphan and for four years she has played mother to younger brother Endashew, 11 and sister Yeshiwork, 8.

"When I took over Mum's duties, I stopped playing and laughing with my classmates. I miss my childhood," Tadeau said. "Most of my time is dedicated to the family. My life has completely changed."

The United Nations' children's charity UNICEF estimates that there are 20 million orphans across Africa. 

In Ethiopia alone there are up to 4.5 million orphans - higher than the total population of some African states.

One million Ethiopian orphans, like Tadeau, lost their parents through HIV/AIDS, and UNICEF says orphan-headed households are on the rise in this largely peasant society.

SOCIAL STIGMA

The statistics are deepening as the virus scythes its way through the population of 72 million, already weakened by cyclical droughts, poor access to health care and a history of armed struggle.

"There's maybe 200,000 people dying of HIV/AIDS, leaving behind at least 200,000 orphans every year," UNICEF country director for Ethiopia, Bjorn Ljungqvist, told Reuters.

"Ethiopia is more vulnerable because of extreme poverty, which is worse than in other places."

Ethiopia is cited by the United Nations as the country with the 16th highest rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, with some 5,000 people being infected every week.

However, the true scale of the problem may be concealed because of the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.

"Losing your parent if he was a soldier is almost heroic. But it's much worse if it's HIV/AIDS because of all the stigma. Everybody is trying to hide the fact," Ljungqvist said.

Many orphaned children wind up sleeping rough, begging in grubby rags at car windows. 

Others struggle to keep their brothers and sisters together, working as servants in the houses of the rich.

Tadeau is lucky. Local charity Mary Joy Aid Through Development provides her family with food, school uniforms, books and free medical treatment as well as 90 birr ($10.45) a month.

Founded in 1994 by Ethiopian Christians, the charity has helped more than 20,000 orphans in the past decade and currently looks after 1,600.

"Many children are coming now, there's a long waiting list, but the problem is funding," said Sister Zebider Zewdie, who manages Mary Joy.

Ljungqvist agreed, saying it takes about $300 a year to cater for the needs of each orphan.

"If you multiply that by 4.5 million, it's way beyond the budget of Ethiopia," he added.

Many orphans, infected through their parents, need life-prolonging drugs.

Despite a government programme to provide free antiretroviral drugs to 320,000 people by 2008, health workers say it is taking a long time to trickle through.

"When treatment is available, then we'll test for HIV/AIDS. We won't tell the guardians in case the children are thrown into the streets," Sister Zebider said, with a glance at 11-year-old, HIV-positive Eyob Wolde Johannes.

The rail thin boy with big eyes lives with an aunt. His body aches with unexplained pains and he has developed sores that turn to pus when he rubs them.

"I miss my parents very much," Eyob says, his voice a whisper. But he shakes his head when asked if he remembers what they looked like or how their voices sounded. 

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