South Africa

The HIV and AIDS situation in southern Africa is an emergency that has immediate and long-term repercussions for the development of the region and for the lives of its people.

Catholic Relief Services is committed to responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic as a matter of urgency. Through our support we seek to strengthen the capacity of the local Catholic Church and like-minded organizations to respond to the crisis. CRS/South Africa aims to work together with partners to disseminate accurate prevention education, and provide care and support for the terminally ill, their families, orphans and vulnerable children.

South Africa has an estimated 5.5 million people living with HIV and AIDS. There are more people infected with HIV and AIDS in South Africa than in any other country in the world. The disease affects all segments of society, but has particularly ravaged historically disadvantaged communities, such as the rural poor, urban marginalized and migrant workers.

The effects of AIDS on children are devastating. Children, particularly girls, are often pulled out of school to care for a sick parent. After the trauma of watching a parent die, these children face the additional burden of adjusting to a new home and experiencing increased economic hardship and uncertainty. One of the most troubling effects of HIV and AIDS is the growth of child-headed households - households where children, once again, usually girls, are left alone to care for their younger siblings. According to the 2006 United Nations AIDS report, there are about 1.2 million children under age 17 in South Africa who have been orphaned because of AIDS, a number that has nearly doubled since 2002. And many more children have suffered from the effects of the disease.