10 Million Orphans
...ment. Relatives could not provide anything for them, so it left them at the young ages of 14 and 10, making their way by bus 150 miles away where they could then work as drug couriers. After traveling back home because of word being out that the hustling would be easier and less competitive, they were founded by an AIDS orphanage, and rescued from their miserable new life which was all due to the horrible AIDS, that had taken their father, and only hope away. Many stories are like this one. More and more children are being left behind because of AIDS. “A generation of orphans threatens to undermine economic development, for children without parents can seldom afford education.” This leads children’s only hope of any survival to the streets, where they are extremely prone to things that should not ever be experienced, let alone at a young age. The number of AIDS orphans in the region is expected to double or even triple by the year 2010. That’s an extremely scary issue for not only Africa, but other areas as well. Africa is becoming so accustomed to AIDS that soon enough, they will be coming into other areas on a more frequent basis, carrying the AIDS virus and spreading it more and more. Then, potentially, we will become assimilated to AIDS in the US, and our culture may end up having the same effect on children and their upbringings due to a virus that can’t be stopped. AIDS effects children who have dealt with it in one way or another in many ways. When AIDS takes a parent, it often takes a childhood as well. If there is no other relative to provide and help the children, then the oldest is the one who has to take charge, and fill in the shoes of their parent or parents. The oldest would have to drop out of school in order to maintain a job, which would support all brothers and sisters are in the family. The childhood of somebody is often reminisced and brought up daily throughout...