In Zimbabwe, 80% of all hospital beds are now occupied by AIDS victims. Among young people and adults aged 15–39, potentially the most vigorous and productive age group, the rate of HIV-AIDS infection is now estimated at 66%! In a few short years, life expectancy in Zimbabwe has plummeted from 65 years to 45 years for men, from 70 years to 50 years for women. And the situation is getting worse.
This medical tragedy is occurring at a time when Zimbabwe's economic and political circumstances are worse than at any time since independence over 20 years ago. Government services have been disrupted, and aid programs run by many foreign NGO's have been curtailed or drastically cut back.
In this unfolding tragedy, children are the innocent victims who suffer most. Currently, at least 600,000 children are orphaned each year in the countryside. They are very often left to manage their own households, provide food for themselves, and parent younger siblings. Many of these households are being overseen by "grannies" who may or may not be related to the orphans, and who have no source of income for themselves or the children
Compounding this hardship, all children in Zimbabwe must pay fees to attend school. With no financial resources, AIDS orphans have no hope for education or a better life. This is the situation in which The Zienzele Foundation—admittedly, against daunting odds—is trying to help.