It
is late on Friday afternoon when we arrive in Richard’s
Bay in Durban, South Africa. The purpose of our mission is to
visit Red Cross projects in KwaZulu Natal. In the early evening,
we are taken around to familiarize ourselves with the area before
visits begin in the morning.
As we pass through Slovo village, an informal settlement which
has been in existence for the past decade, we cannot miss the
sight of young children carrying out household chores; carrying
firewood and buckets of water on their heads, cleaning plates,
etc. It looks as if these children have no time to play. We
decide to visit one of the families.
Mrs. Busisiwe Ngwekizi, 70 years old, opens the door. “I
am staying with my two granddaughters, Phindile, 8, and Thandeka,
13. Their mothers died four years ago,” she explains.
Sadly, this story is typical of the situation in the region.
Not only are children living in difficult circumstances because
their parents died of AIDS, but grandparents are being denied
their retirement and care from their own children in their old
age.
“They all passed away the same month in 2001, and I was
looking after both of them on my own during the time they were
sick,” she says, as tears start to flow down her wrinkled
cheeks. “It was a difficult period for me, looking after
my sick daughters and their children as well. I had many sleepless
nights as their conditions were deteriorating everyday,”
she adds.
“We experienced a severe drought that year and food was
not available. Both my daughters were on medication and they
were required to eat before taking pills, but food was not available.”
Busisiwe, like other elderly people, receives a monthly pension
of about 720 South African Rand (about 88 Euros or 105 US$),
but given the added responsibilities, the money was just not
enough. “I only bought a tin of maize which I took for
milling so that we could have some food in the house.”
Despite all her efforts, Busisiwe’s daughters bade farewell
to their loving mother, leaving her with the huge responsibility
of two young children. It’s been almost four years now
since they passed on; there are no chances of the situation
improving as age is taking its toll on her, while her grandchildren’s
needs increase as they grow.
Her small pension forces her to make difficult decisions. “From
the same pension, I am supposed to pay school fees for the children,
buy them food, clothing, and other requirements,” she
says. She had not been able to pay school fees because the money
was used to buy medicine for her diabetic condition. She hopes
to pay the fees next month, which means she will not have enough
left to buy food.
“I am getting old and tired. I do not know what will happen
to these children when I die but I do want them to grow,”
Busisiwe sighs. A few meters away from her home lie the graves
of her daughters. When things get too difficult, she prays there,
hoping that her daughters may answer her prayers from their
deep sleep.
By this time it is dark and yet there’s no fire started
for supper as there is nothing to cook. “I’ve just
come home from a piece job in someone’s field, but I have
not been paid yet because I have to finish the task. Tonight
we will eat a piece of bread that was left three days ago,”
says Busisiwe.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has removed a whole generation. For the
elderly, the situation is critical. Instead of being looked
after by their children, they are now taking care of their grandchildren.
Busisiwe’s situation is typical of many in KwaZulu Natal
where grandparents have to look after young children.
“It is so difficult for elderly people to look after young
children,” says Anne-Marie Kazungu, HIV/AIDS coordinator
for the Richard’s Bay branch of the South Africa Red Cross
Society. “Many children have withdrawn from school for
several reasons. In some cases, it’s because of a lack
of funds to pay school fees, not having good clothes or having
to help their grandparents work in the fields,” explains
Anne-Marie, adding that some children are hired as cheap labour
or even prostitute themselves to support their young siblings.
“We are currently giving out food packs and sometimes
blankets and other items to some families but we do not have
enough resources to help all the vulnerable families. And this
is a drop in the ocean considering that the number of orphans
is increasing,” she notes.
“We are concerned about the future of these children.
At least if they complete their education, they will be able
to look after themselves and other young siblings,” says
Anne-Marie, appealing to other partners to come on board to
help orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
The International Federation in southern Africa recently launched
an advocacy campaign, under the theme Our Children, Our Future,
to scale up support to these children.
“We are concerned about the future viability of some states
in Southern Africa, if all stakeholders do not rally to protect
and support orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS,”
stresses Françoise Le Goff, head of the Federation’s
regional delegation in Harare.
She underscores the need for all partners, especially the private
sector, governments and other humanitarian organizations, to
play a more active role in ensuring that orphans and children
made vulnerable by the HIV/AIDS pandemic have access to basic
services such as food, health, education, shelter, clothing
and protection, to give the entire region a brighter future.
"A silent tsunami is wiping away an entire generation,
leaving millions of children at risk. It is imperative for all
partners to come together in support of this cause. If we do
not do something today, we will lose the administrators, business
leaders, workers and customers of tomorrow. We have to start
investing in these children now," she adds.
It is estimated that there are more than 4,132,000 children
orphaned by AIDS in the ten countries in which the Red Cross
Societies of southern Africa operate, one quarter of whom are
in South Africa. This figure is expected to double by 2010.
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Busisiwe
and her two granddaughters, Phindile, 8, and Thandeka,
13. Their mothers died four years ago of AIDS. (P13015)
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This
is what remains of Busisiwe's kitchen. (p13013)
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The
mounds of soil are the graves where Busisiwe's two daughters
were laid to rest. When things get too tough, she prays
there. (p13014)
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Phindile
and Thandeka sharing a joke. Their grandmother is doing
her best to assure them of a brighter future. (p13016)
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