The impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of orphaned children and their guardians

Through focus group discussions in two townships in Zambia, this study illustrates the material and psychological impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on individuals and families, and the need to support orphaned children and their guardians. The study looks at the key themes of how basic human needs are met by families and children; emotional health and strategies for coping with grief; experiences of child heads of household; how best to care and support OVCs; and the stigma and non-disclosure of HIV/AIDS related illnesses.

The main policy recommendations arising from this study include:

• micro and macro economic issues must be addressed as a basis to support social mitigation and prevention interventions
• adult heads of households need access to a savings schemes and micro-credit in order to improve household economic security
• child headed households need immediate material assistance in the form of handouts and psychosocial support in terms of parenting skills; household management; and counselling
• the various educational bursary schemes should be brought under one primary disbursement mechanism, to provide free access to education
• interventions to address stigma must be incorporated as a cross cutting issue and integrated into all HIV activities. Stigma campaigns must focus on a broad national community level, in local languages as well as English, and reach both urban and rural communities
• widows need particular psychosocial support when spouses are ill and protection for themselves and their children when spouses die. There is a role for traditional leaders and in particular, male family members of the deceased, to encourage and demand respect and protection for the widows and children
• children need assistance to process their feelings related to the death of their parents and to grieve. The role of friends and neighbours should not be under-estimated and children need time to interact with these support structures
• children require time to be a child, which includes access to education and recreational activities, and to momentarily help them to forget their grief and loss
• interventions should be developed which help guardians cope with the stress they are facing

[Adapted from author]