Aids in Benin, Africa
Francophone Benin in north-west Africa has one of Africa's rare democratic systems and is relatively economically stable. However, infant and maternal mortality are high, as is female illiteracy. Poverty and illness are widespread.
In Benin there are estimated to be more than 42,000 children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS and over 200,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. Both these figures are thought to be underestimates because of inadequate monitoring and the low take up of voluntary testing.
SOS Children is working in three centres - Abomey-Calavi, Dassa-Zoume and Natitingou - providing counselling to orphaned and vulnerable children and their families in the local communities.
In order to help the benefitting families to stay within their communities with our support, the project name was changed from “HIV/AIDS Programme” to “Family Strengthening Programme.” Similarly, for benefitting children, “Orphans and Vulnerable Children” is used instead of “AIDS Child Orphans.” The advantage here is that it guarantees the respect of benefitting children in the community and guards them against stigmatisation.
In conjunction with Social Welfare Centres (set up by the government), the SOS staff and local social workers identified about 100 children who could benefit from the assistance of the SOS Children’s Villages in Benin within the framework of the programme.