Formerly Minnesota International Health Volunteers

Improving the health of women, children and their communities around the world.

In Uganda, 2.3 million children younger than 18 years old—14 percent of children in the country—are orphans. Most of these orphans have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. The results have been devastating for youth, their families, and communities. From WellShare’s 13 years of experience working in Uganda, it is clear that HIV/AIDS has decimated the structure of traditional Ugandan society. Many individuals have lost the head of their household as well as their primary source of family income. Often, elderly grandparents end up taking in orphans, or the children themselves become the head of the household. Many people living with HIV/AIDS spend most of their financial resources battling the disease, leaving few resources for their children once then are gone.

In addition to struggling with the trauma of losing one or more of their parents, children who are orphaned or left vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS often need to drop out of school, face economic hardship, lack good health care, suffer discrimination and stigma from their community, and are more vulnerable to early sexual abuse and debut, which can increase their risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Often, they are denied basic rights, such as the inheritance of parent’s property and assets. Recent research has also shown that orphans and vulnerable children are more likely to suffer malnourishment if they are under 10 years of age and are living with their elderly grandparents.

One overarching goal of WellShare is to improve the quality of life for orphans and vulnerable children through holistic, household-focused initiatives. In the Ssembabule district of Uganda, for example, WellShare is implementing a project to improve the quality of life for orphans and vulnerable children aged 15 to 25. We partner closely with the District Health Team, the District Agricultural Office, the Catholic Church, and Ssembabule AIDS Counseling Services to (1) create community gardens (to generate income and improve nutrition), (2) train mentors to improve knowledge of HIV/AIDS and life skills, (3) improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (to reduce economic and psychosocial stresses) and (4) conduct innovative outreach and education to reduce levels of stigma and discrimination that orphans and vulnerable children are facing.