The epidemic is slashing the life expectancy in many sub-Saharan nations. AIDS is extending its reach into almost every home. When fathers die, mothers are left to raise families on their own often with meager financial resources. When mothers die, too, the children must often fend for themselves. The fortunate few are cared for by relatives, but often this additional burden is too great for poverty-stricken families to bear.
Many orphans end up living and sleeping on the streets.