GUINEA-BISSAU
Average life expectancy in Guinea-Bissau is about 47 years. The infant mortality rate is about 108.72 per 1000 new-born babies. In addition, the steadily growing HIV/AIDS rate in Guinea-Bissau is a big problem. According to some estimates, 10% of all adults are infected. This puts great pressure on child-care organisations such as SOS Children.
Since 2003, SOS Children's Villages Guinea-Bissau has been increasingly involved with local community organisations to help with the provision of drinking water, medical care and HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns. ). A good example of this is the construction of a well by SOS Children's Villages in Bissau which ensures supply with fresh drinking water for approximately 12,000 people. Twenty-five children, whose parents died of AIDS, have been identified to benefit from SOS scholarships. SOS Children's Villages Guinea-Bissau will pay for these children’s school fees to ensure they have a good education.
SOS Children's Villages Guinea-Bissau is working with the National Technical Secretariat of Fight against AIDS in Guinea-Bissau (STNLS) to develop family-strengthening programmes. STNLS is part of the Ministry of Health and is managing a budget of US$7,000,000 donated by the World Bank to the government of Guinea-Bissau for prevention and fight against HIV/AIDS. Through the family strengthening programmes SOS Children's Villages Guinea-Bissau will help an additional 200 vulnerable children and their families.
In Gabu, the SOS Children’s village is working with the local community through a Regional Steering Committee to support the fight against HIV/AIDS that affects Gabu’s local community.