As the number of young women infected with HIV has grown, so has the number of children born with the deadly virus. There are currently over 2.3 million children infected with HIV. Without access to proper nutrition, health care, and medication, most children die before their 5th birthday. Due to the intense needs of these children and the early deaths of their parents, many HIV-positive children are orphaned, neglected, or abandoned. However, with a loving home and proper medical intervention and care, children can lead longer, active lives.
Girls waiting at Comboni Mission Sisters to pick up food for their sick parent and family members.
Accessible, community health care is also a key factor in improving longevity and quality of life. AYA has partnered with The Medical Mission Sisters in the Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya, Bringing Hope to the Family in rural Uganda, and Lambano Sanctuary in Johannesburg, South Africa, to provide much-needed medical care to underserved populations. In addition to providing care to HIV-positive children these clinics also strive to provide prevention and treatment for malaria, infections, diarrhea, and other treatable conditions that kill millions of children each year