Pepfar freeze: More than half a million of Kenya's most vulnerable children at risk
Many of the children have lost their parents to HIV/Aids and rely on Orphans and Vulnerable Children programmes for food, education, healthcare and emotional support.
What you need to know:
- Each year, the United States Agency for International Development serves more than 6.4 million children and adolescents through Pepfar in several African countries, or about 17,694 beneficiaries per day.
More than 500,000 vulnerable children in Kenya face a bleak future as the suspension of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding threatens to cut off vital support programmes.
Many of these children have lost their parents to HIV/Aids and rely on Pepfar's Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programmes for food, education, healthcare and emotional support.
Without this funding, their survival is at serious risk, potentially pushing them deeper into poverty and vulnerability.
OVC programme aims to improve the health and well-being of children living with and affected by HIV. It strengthens the resilience of children and families and helps to accelerate access to HIV/Aids treatment for children, while also working to prevent HIV among adolescent girls and young women.
Each year, the United States Agency for International Development serves more than 6.4 million children and adolescents through Pepfar in several African countries, or about 17,694 beneficiaries per day, according to a report by the Andelson Office of Public Policy.
In Kenya alone, 1,602 children rely on these services daily, amounting to 584,730 annually. Other countries facing similar risks include Nigeria, which has the highest number of affected children -3,970 per day (1,448,050 annually), followed by Tanzania with 1,773 per day (647,145 annually), Zambia with 1,471 per day (536,915 annually), and Uganda with 1,443 per day (526,695 annually).
According to the report, if Pepfar funding is cut, more than six million children in these five countries alone will lose the essential support that keeps them safe, healthy and in school.
"The Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme serves approximately 6,458,420 children and adolescents annually, or approximately 17,694 children per day. This programme is much more likely to be completely dependent on Pepfar grant funding and will simply shut down completely,” reads part of the report.
In addition to food and education, children supported by Pepfar programmes also receive critical health services, including regular check-ups, HIV testing, and psychosocial support.
Loss of access to these services means that illnesses go undetected and untreated, further compromising their health. Mental health services that help these children cope with trauma and loss would also be severely compromised, leaving many without the emotional support they need to cope with their difficult circumstances.
“Without Pepfar support, these children will face extreme vulnerability, making them more susceptible to exploitation, abuse and unsafe environments. Many could be forced into child labour, trafficking, or dangerous survival strategies that compromise their well-being. The impact would not only be immediate, but could have long-term consequences for Kenya's future as an entire generation of children risks growing up without the resources they need to thrive,” says the report.
