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'Families Together' program helps AIDS-ravaged Zambia

With the highest rate of AIDS infection in the world, sub-Saharan Africa--Zambia, especially--has an astounding number of orphans. Coupled with improper hygiene and poor conditions, the death and illness rates have soared in the Misisi Compound of Lusaka, Zambia, reports MNN.

Such a crisis breaks the hearts of Kids Alive International workers, especially field director Jim Kongwa. He told Kids Alive he can no longer hold orphans brought to him because almost all of them are turned away for lack of facilities; many later die from malnutrition or other forms of neglect.

Since Kids Alive cannot help each of these individual kids, they have developed a program titled "Families Together," which empowers the relatives of orphans and vulnerable children to care for these kids.

Without this program, most of these children would either die or be forced to live on the streets, resigned to prostitution or criminal activity to make a living. Instead, "Families Together" provides food, clothing and other necessities. Additionally, as Kids Alive looks to rebuild the lives of kids, they also piece together and restore the community around them, ultimately sharing the hope Christ offers them for today and the future.

While the need is staggering and it is easy to get discouraged by such a momentous this task, Kids Alive is starting out small to help the kids they can, then broadening their scope once the program takes off. Currently, they are looking to reach out to 25 kids in the most dire of circumstances.

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TAGS: Zambia AIDS infection Kids Alive International 'Families Together' program

[06/11/2010]

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