The HIV/AIDS situation ...

In South Africa

Approximately 5.6 million South Africans are living with HIV and AIDS, the largest number of individuals living with the virus in a single country. Over 700,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS already.

As disturbing as the AIDS epidemic in South Africa is now, it will get worse. More than 3 million healthy children between 18 months and 4 years old could be orphaned by AIDS in the next five years.

Every home that our staff has visited had either collapsed, with the children temporarily housed with other family members, or was in a state of partial collapse and needed urgent repair. Most of the orphans are being cared for by grandmothers and great-grandmothers and the large families depend on government old age pensions to survive.

Habitat houses in South Africa are constructed from cement block and include electricity and indoor plumbing.

In Mozambique

A civil war spanning three decades took 1 million victims and left 5 million people displaced. Then in 2000, the country was devastated by the largest flood ever recorded in Africa, leaving half a million people homeless. Six years later, thousands of families are still living in inadequate "temporary" shelter. More than 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Now the HIV/AIDS pandemic is sweeping through the country, with 17% of the population currently infected and the number is increasing daily. The combined devastation of the war, poverty, and AIDS has orphaned 1.3 million children in this country of only 18 million. Nearly 100 Habitat for Humanity houses have already been built as part of this programme, sheltering 300 orphans and vulnerable children, but many more are urgently needed.

Partner families are benefiting from improved safety and security, improved sanitation through new latrines, improved protection from malaria through mosquito net coverings on all windows, and protection of their inheritance by documenting the family's rights to the land and house.

Each of the construction teams includes orphaned youth who are apprenticed to the masters, not only improving their future capacity to earn, but also providing the youth with income now to support their families.

In Zambia

Many Zambians live in grass-thatched mud and wattle structures that require annual overhauling. Cracked and broken walls invite serious health risks, rain and rodents into the house. Families are crowded into a single room, and children are introduced daily to life-threatening conditions. With 86% of the country's population living below the poverty line, there is no shortage of need. But thanks to the help of partners like you, Habitat for Humanity has built over 1,000 houses since we began working in Zambia in 1984. According to local methods and technologies, most rural houses are constructed of stabilised clay blocks and roofed with iron sheets. Monthly house payments are usually about US $6.

But today there are more than 570,000 AIDS orphans in Zambia, and we must build faster than ever to help all the children who have been left behind. Habitat for Humanity has built 60 houses for orphans and vulnerable children, but the waiting list is already thousands long.

In Uganda

AIDS has had a devastating impact on Uganda. Approximately 1 million Ugandan children have been orphaned by AIDS. Many of the children are orphaned or staying with extended family members who are sometimes too old, sick, or poor to provide care.

In fact, a recent study showed that 50% of existing Habitat for Humanity homeowners in Uganda are caring for orphaned children. In Uganda, we have already built 105 houses and renovated another 4, sheltering 425 orphans and vulnerable children. For each house built or renovated, at least one orphan or vulnerable child received training in house construction by working on it under the supervision of skilled Habitat staff.