Life as an Orphan

There are millions of orphans around the world. Children who have lost their parents through death or disappearance, abandonment or desertion, separation or loss. Just imagine what it's like to have no one to care for you at such a tender age.

There are tens of thousands of new AIDS orphans every year, having lost their fathers - the main wage earners. They have to depend on the state for care and support. Heartless institutions can destroy children's lives. There are deprived children living on city streets, spending the night in abandoned buildings or cardboard boxes. They have to beg for survival. They're often subjected to abuse, neglect, exploitation or, in extreme cases, murder.