Wednesday May 7th is World AIDS Orphans Day, a day founded by Albina du Boisrouvray. To commemorate the day in Ghana, the Woyome Foundation for Africa (WOFA), will with the support of other partners, provide funds for the provision of antiretroviral drugs to hundreds of infected children across the country.

Treatment centres that will benefit from the WOFA Support package on World AIDS Orphans Day include the Ridge Hospital, Ketu District and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Treatment Centres.

May 7th is intended to have us all raise awareness and advocate for the needs of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children.

“We have chosen today to pay the hospitals for a full year’s supply of antiretroviral drugs and boosters for child PLs who attend their treatment centres, and this is under the Foundation’s One-for-One Campaign launched to ensure the Treatment, Therapy and Care of infected children in Ghana and Africa” explains Vitus Nanbigne, WOFA’s Project Coordinator.

Hundreds of children requiring ARTs sometimes live without it because their parents or guardians cannot afford the cost of the drugs and in many cases, the parents themselves who are infected with the HIV do not have any gainful employment. WOFA’s One-for-One project which aims at helping bring back hope to families and keep infected
children alive is one of many initiatives and projects being undertaken by the Foundation with the support of other partners.

More than 15 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents to AIDS. By 2010, the number of AIDS orphans worldwide is expected to climb to an estimated 20 to 25 million children. In addition to the psychological trauma of losing a parent, orphans are less likely to receive healthcare, education and other needed services, are often threatened by malnutrition, illness and HIV infection, and are easy prey to many forms of exploitation: forced labour, prostitution and child soldiering.

Too little attention is given to orphans and vulnerable children. Few resources are reaching the families and communities that provide the front-line response. It is however clear that with adequate funding; the world can help children orphaned by AIDS to grow up healthy and safe. We can address the challenges presented by the AIDS orphans crisis.

The number of children infected by HIV need not rise if we take responsibility to stop further infections by adults and subsequently by children. Whilst scientists are working to develop effective vaccines, particularly pediatric preventions, such as preventing transmission through breast-feeding, people need to be more responsible by avoiding infections.

WOFA is in the forefront of education and practical interventions to prevent new infections. WOFA is also working to sustain children who are already infected, to sustain Orphans and Vulnerable Children in order to prevent from abuse and the risks of HIV infection-

We invite you to join us in the fight against HIV/AIDS and support the future of HIV infected children. Call 00233-21-249601 to discuss how you can assist want to be a part of the solution. You can also email us VITUS@wofound.org or VANDA@wofound.org.

We take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported the One-for-One Campaign including patrons of our ‘Red Expression’ Painting Exhibition, which saw the sale of paintings by infected children.