Nyumbani – Caring for the Abandoned & Orphaned HIV + Children in Kenya

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In fact, a full 75% of babies who test positive at birth will eventually be found not to have the virus. Tragically these children are often abandoned anyway, on the mistaken assumption that they are certain to develop and eventually succumb to AIDS.

At Nyumbani, ‘home’ in Swahili, children are cared for until a definite assessment of their HIV status can be made. Children who are eventually found not to have the virus are adopted or find other homes. Children who are found to be HIV+ are given the best nutritional, medical, in particular, anti-retroviral therapy, psychological, academic, spiritual care available and live at Nyumbani until they become self-reliant.

Nyumbani is home to approximately 100 children ranging in age from newborn to twenty-three years old.

Our children come from all over Kenya; as far as Mombassa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Marsabit, Nakuru, Isiolo; or as close as Ngong, Dagoretti, and other areas within and around Nairobi. They represent all tribes and ethnicities of Kenya.

Children are referred to Nyumbani through national hospitals and through Nyumbani’s own community outreach program, Lea Toto.

Presently there are 40 million people infected with HIV/AIDS globally, with more being infected every day. HIV/AIDS is 100% lethal if left untreated. The UN estimates that 68 million people will die in sub-Saharan Africa because of AIDS in the next twenty years.

That is:

1.7 times more than the 40 million deaths in World War II, the most destructive war in human history.

5 times more than the 13 million deaths in the previous two decades of the AIDS epidemic.

307 times more than the 221,000 deaths in the Asian tsunami disaster of 2004.

Other Statistics:
In 1990 there were 7 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2000 there were 25.3 million infected.96 percent of HIV infected persons live in developing nations where drug therapies are largely unaffordable.

Presently there are approximately 15 million children orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. That number is expected to grow to 40 million in the next two decades.

3 million people died of AIDS in 2000. 12.1 million children were orphaned.

Every 5 minutes 3 people die of HIV/AIDS. That is over 850 deaths every day or 315,000 a year. With each death, at least one more orphan is usually left.

Every minute 10 people are infected with HIV/AIDS, which equates to 600 new infections an hour, 15,000 a day.
If you want more details on how you can help follow the link: http://www.nyumbani.org/