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Impact of Parental HIV/AIDS Deaths on African children and families. Honors Project 2007. Lindsay Stortz. Why This?. My experiences living in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya and starting my AIDS organization. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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IMPACT OF PARENTAL HIV/AIDS DEATHS ON AFRICAN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Honors Project 2007. Lindsay Stortz.
Why This?
My Friend Nora
George, a nurse in Cameroon
Dire and Growing Need
My experiences livingin the slums of Nairobi,Kenya and starting my AIDS organization.
Evidential foundationfor hospice program inCameron being startedby nurse NdikintumGeorge
UNAIDS, 2004
Sub-Saharan Africa & Cameroon
Orphans account for15% of all children inEleven nations. 20 million children
orphaned by 2010 Cameroon has an HIVPrevalence of 5-9%
Questions
When an African child loses her parents, what happens to the child and to the family?
How do the economic difficulties that these children face impact their ability to grieve the loss of their parent?
What is being done to helpThese children? What more should be done?
Method
Impact to the child and family Used search term “AIDS orphans” Read and analyzed all of the research.
Impact on the child’s grief Used search term “childhood bereavement” Read and analyzed all of the research. Included research on African culture and
how it may impact the grief response of the child.
Social Impact
90% of orphaned are cared for in extended families
May be abandoned by extended family May be maltreated May face stigma inwider society
Economic impact
Adoptive households more likely to be poor.
Caregiver likely to be elderly, female, HIV positive, which are risk factors for extreme poverty
Unable to afford school fees Child Labor, sex work More likely to be
malnourished
Childhood Grief Response
Sad Angry Guilty May start acting
younger than they are Will maintain a bond
with deceased parent through memory and being “watched over”
Interferes with Life
Symptoms of PTSD
Overwhelming guilt
Suicidal thoughts Blames self for
death
Normal Complicated
The Tasks of Childhood Grief
Understand the death Have their fears and anxieties addressed Reassurance they are not to blame Listened to and understood Feelings validated. Process their emotions of sadness, guilt,
anger, etc.
Conclusion
Socioeconomic problems put children at greater psychological risk
Maltreatment puts children at greater psychological risk
Combination of these factors, plus the grief thechild is facing can lead to behavioral and emotional problems during childhood and into adulthood
Interventions
Criteria: culturally appropriate, affordable, family-based
Socioeconomic Capacity Building Counselors & Psycho-education Memory Boxes Succession Planning Support Groups
Limitations of The Research
Africa is a very big and very diverse place! In Cameroon, 200 different Languages are spoken! English only Lack of available research on:
grief of African children Interventions in Africa Double Orphans
Want to get involved??
World Vision: www.worldvision.org Fahari Ministries: Kenya AIDS alliance of Durham: www.aas-
c.org DATA-Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa:
data.org For more information visit
www.unaids.org and KnowHivAids.org
Acknowledgements
Eric Stortz, my wonderful husband, for his patience and for helping me get through it!
Dr. Miles, my honors advisor, for all of her advice and encouragement
George of Cameroon for hisCommitment and hisHelp in teaching meAbout Cameroon,
his nation.