WORLD AIDS ORPHAN’S DAY (WAOD) MAY 7, 2008

CAMEROON BAPTIST CONVENTION HEALTH BOARD CHOSEN CHILDREN ( Orphans’) PROGRAM

WHY A WORLD AIDS ORPHANS’ DAY?

The Truth ORPHAN: “ A child who has been deprived of parental care by death and has not been adopted, thus lacks support, supervision and care” Every 15 seconds, AIDS kills a child’s mother or father and AIDS has already created more than 15 million orphans, some 13 million of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

FACTS There are approximately 200 million orphaned children worldwide. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major factor in the growing crisis of orphans and vulnerable children. Over 15m of this number are AIDS Orphans of them living in Cameroon.

The Goal of WAOD To focus public and media attention on the distress of these vulnerable children and the consequences of their social and economic exclusion. To lobby governments to consider these vulnerable children as a priority and ensure that urgent measures are taken to reintegrate them back into their society To create a worldwide young people’s movement so that they join forces and build a common future with this generation of lost children

The Theme of WAOD 2008 This year, WAOD theme is ‘ I RAISE MY VOICE; THE CAMPAGN AGAINST FATALITY” and the slogan is “persons raise their voices so that millions of voiceless children can be heard’. The word Fatality here means misfortune, calamity especially one that causes death and destruction. This can be done by raising funds to support orphans and vulnerable children to enable them have access to medicines, school fees and food.

Goal Cont’d It is shocking to learn that the majority of orphans in the world have to pay school fees. As a result, orphan children and those deprived of resources often do not go to school or leave school early if they go. Education is one of the most effective means to fight AIDS. Education saves children’s lives and gives them the power to contribute to their destiny!

How big is the problem? In 2005, an estimated 240,000 children aged 0-17 became orphans because of HIV in Cameroon. This Statistics remain till today may 7 th These orphans are vulnerable to poverty, exploitation and themselves becoming infected with HIV. They are often forced to leave school and find work, as they need to care for younger siblings and/or be the head of the family.

The Problem Children orphaned by AIDS are more vulnerable to high-risk lifestyles that result in HIV infections than other orphans, which continues the horrible cycle of the transmission of HIV. These Children are more likely to turn to crime. Such children often become the victims of child labor.

The Problem The AIDS pandemic has a devastating effect on the millions of children who are orphaned and/or infected with the virus. In countries most affected, 15% to 20% of children have lost one or both parents to AIDS The almost systematic loss of both parents is an unprecedented event in human history

SOCIETAL VIEW ON AIDS ORPHANS They are excluded, discriminated against and left to fend for themselves They are psychologically distressed They do not have access to education They do not have access to basic health care, let alone antiretroviral therapy

Cont’d Deprived from protection, education, support and love, they face great risks of malnutrition, illness and HIV infection. They are easy prey to all forms of exploitation (prostitution, terrorism, trafficking, child-soldiers, etc…) « The crisis of AIDS orphans is a major humanitarian, economic, social and security challenge that our society must urgently address »

Our Purpose May 7th, is World AIDS Orphans’ Day. As the CBC Health Board, we want to use this day for educating ourselves and our communities about the situation of these vulnerable and helpless children in distress.

EDUCATION Experts estimate that as many as 700,000 cases of HIV/AIDS could be prevented each year if all children received a primary education. When Kenya eliminated school fees in 2003, 1.3 million children entered the school system.

NUTRITION 50% to 60% of all childhood deaths in the developing world are caused directly or indirectly by hunger. The demand for savon, food, palm oil this year from caregivers is too high. About 6M Children under the age of 5 die each year of causes related to malnutrition.

How is the CBC HB helping? The CBC HB has a “Chosen Children” Program (CCP) which supports Orphans and AIDS Orphans within our communities. The basic objectives of the program are; –Support the Children with educational needs –Pay Medical needs of children who are sick –Supply basic needs- Food, Savon, Palm Oil –Pay field workers who visit and counsel with them and report monthly. –Advocate and promote their rights –Increase living standard by giving micro-loan to caregivers. –Beneficiaries are children 18 years and below and the different religions- –40 % Baptist, 30% Catholics, 20% Presbyterians, 10 % others.

RIGHTS OF AN ORPHAN The right to be treated as an equal The right to have a name and nationality The right to basic and healthy nutrition The right to education The right to health The right to play and rest The right to a family, love and a home The right to freedom of expression and to be heard The right to protection against physical or mental violence, maltreatment, sexual abuse, armed conflict.

CCP Cont’d Our program has restored hope to many families. 824 (full ones) and 176 ( on casual Bases) CC IN 400 HOMES, in 14 CBC fields and in two provinces of Cameroon. Many children have resumed schooling and are well equipped for school. Children who needed medical care but had no means have received it. To spread the love of God to children who have lost their parents from AIDS. –To complement the ongoing CBC HB AIDS care and prevention Program

CCP Cont’d Caregivers are now not afraid to talk about HIV/AIDS. This has been achieved through the education given in the trainings. Many Caregivers have appreciated our teachings while others have testified that it’s God’s working through CBC HB to reach them. Some of them have completed from professional schools(catering, nursing, tailoring,carpentry, hairdressing etc) and are now employed.

GENERAL HIV SCREENING OF CHOSEN CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS 958 persons were tested and 48 tested positive for HIV. Out of the total number tested, 430 were chosen children, 10 of whom tested positive for HIV. The total number HIV + children in the program are were caregivers and 38 tested positive to HIV. The Big challenge is how to disclose the status to the Children.

Theme Verse JAMES 1:27 ” Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.” Supporting Verse: EXODUS 22:22-24 “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan, If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless”

What can you do to help? God has given us all different gifts and abilities and now is our opportunity to use them to help the “Chosen Children” around us. The first thing we must do is to be supportive of children when they are orphaned. They need to feel accepted as part of the community and to have access to essential services such as health care and education, and to basic necessities such as food and shelter.

Involvement We can go and visit families with “Chosen Children”. We can also set aside five minutes a day to pray for the “Chosen Children” and for the programs that exist to help them. We can share our food with them, just sacrifice one breakfast a month for Orphan Care. Ask the finance administrator to take out a specific amount of your salary in one particular month and put in CCP account. This is what others have done and will be done in Bamenda station this morning.

Conclusion Let this day be a day of thanking God for the great things He has done. Let us also not forget that we must continue to take care of the “Chosen Children”, as that is our responsibility. James 1:27- James 1:27- ” Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.” ” Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”

Conclusion The Orphan Program is not about statistics or Celebration. It is about children who suffer. It is about their need for some sense of hope, comfort, and peace. It is about grieving families and broken lives. It is about children for whom Christ died.

Conclusion If we are to hope in the midst of what humanly appears to be hopeless, If we are to hope in the midst of what humanly appears to be hopeless, we must look beyond human ability, We must consider and claim the heart of our compassionate God, Who alone can bring Hope to the Hopeless. JAMES 1:27

REMARK Keep focusing on the Programs and the rule of the ministry to the public. Don’t limit at the person in power Leaders will come and go but the programs and ministries move on I am here today, may be gone tomorrow Let’s keep supporting our God given services irrespective of who is Leading and we will continue to stand out unique.Let’s keep supporting our God given services irrespective of who is Leading and we will continue to stand out unique.

OH LORD: PUT FOOD IN THIS MY POT

TODAY IN BBH OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS ( FRS) WERE RAISED TODAY IN BBH

OUR CONTACT CBC HB CHOSEN CHILDREN PROGRAM Program Supervisor Cameroon Baptist Convention Tel. (00237) , – CCP ACCOUNT: 7650/650

CAUTION THE FOLLOWING PICTURES SHOW THAT IF CAMEROON IS NOT CAREFUL, WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THESE COUNTRIES WILL COME THEIR WAY.

No one to send them to School

Widows and Orphans

Poor Nutrition=under weight

NUTRITION

Mal-nutrition

Oh Lord: Put food in this my Pot

Starvation=impaired cognitive Development

The Only Toys Available

Only affordable brand of Shoes.

No Choice

Scabies

TRIPLETS

Some are HIV +

Father with many grandchildren orphaned by AIDS

Father with many grandchildren orphaned by AIDS.

Families Needing Support.

A Typical Home.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU