Staggering Statistics

I saw a book laying on the shelf at the school, entitled: Children Living With HIV/AIDS in South Africa - A Rapid Appraisal. I'm not sure of the exact date the statistics were put out, it appears to be a few years old but I would imagine it's probably still a pretty accurate assessment, if not worse. I asked the teacher if I could borrow it tonight and read it. The statistics are just staggering.

The AIDS pandemic is an enormous threat to South Africa. Even more so is the fact that the future of South Africa, the children are particularly vulnerable.

I certainly can't summarize the whole booklet, but I would like to share some key points.

- At the time of this study, it was stated that there were 16.3 million children in South Africa, 61% of whom live in poverty. Children make up almost half the population here.

- In 1998 the infant mortality rate was 45 per 1000.

- Of the 1.2 million children born annually, 85,000 die before their 5th birthday.

- The child mortality rate is 15 per 1000 live births.

-23% of children under 5 are stunted due to malnutrition.

- Only 49% of children have birth certificates (which has implications for accessing welfare grants)

- 29,000 children are in residential care and 73,000 in foster care.

- An estimated 1.6 million children of school-going age are out of school.

- 1 in every 8 girls is forced out of the education system due to pregnancy. We talked to a social worker here who said there is still a very high rate of teen pregnancy, today. Still a high rate of unprotected sex and HIV infections.

- Between 1994 and 1997, in South Africa, there was a 400% increase in the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. It's estimated that by 2010, orphans will comprise 9-12% of the total population (3-6 - 4.8 million children).

I mean....where do you go from here? Where do you start? How will these children get the help that they need. The more I read, the more I learn....I hate to even say it's hopeless.....but how can something so huge be turned around?