Millions of people are living with HIV/AIDS. By 2010, UNICEF estimates 25 million children under the age of 15 will have lost one or both parents to AIDS. In Sub-Saharan Africa, millions of children under the age of 15 have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Upon the death of their mother, children lose their primary caregiver. Many of these children drop out of school, go to work, and take up parenting roles as they look after younger siblings. In Kenya, 5.1% of adults have HIV and 2.4 million orphans need care and support from their extended families and communities. Although HIV/AIDS deaths have declined over time, the mortality rate is currently about 85,000 deaths per year (i.e. 233 per day, approximately 9-10 persons per hour), resulting in a growing number of HIV orphans.
The Daraja Children’s Project – Kenya (DCP), an Indiana University student-based organization, seeks to provide a dependable bridge between (local and international) donors and programs to support vulnerable children in Kenya.