USAID Donates $7.6m to HIV and AIDS Orphans  
Written by Chioma Obinna, Vanguard Online   
Monday, 30 June 2008

The U.S. through its Agency for International Development (USAID) has released N896.8 million ($7.6 million) to rescue 8,616 orphans and vulnerable children on the streets of Nigeria.

The aid, which was to support a three-year project christened, “Assistance and Care for Children Orphaned and At Risk (ACCORD) project is aimed at providing quality comprehensive and compassionate care for AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in the country.

According to the recipient of the aid, HOPE worldwide Nigeria, the fund would also be used to strengthen Non Governmental Organizations’ capacity to respond to HIV and AIDS in various communities.

Announcing the donation yesterday in Ota, Ogun State, during a one -day Orientation/Workshop for Implementing Agencies under the ACCORD programme, the Executive Director of  HOPE worldwide, Dr. Yemi Osilaja further confirmed that the project is expected to affect six states of the federation, Lagos, Cross River, Oyo, Delta and Abuja with total of 8616 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and caregivers benefitting.

Quoting figures from UNAIDS, Osilaja said “It is estimated that by 2010, 25 million African children will be orphaned due to AIDS and that by 2020, an additional 55 million Africans will lose their lives to the epidermic”

Continuing, Osilaja argued that without adequate care and support there will be devastating long-term developmental impact on children, their communities and the future of these countries.

He further noted that about one million orphans have already been created due to HIV and AIDS adding that the unprecedented number of orphans and other vulnerable children is an increasingly visible reminder of devastating capacity of AIDS to destroy families and leave behind a vulnerable generation of young Nigerians.

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