| More than a Million innocent children are orphaned or | | | | medicine. |
| abandoned to live on roads in Zimbabwe due to the | | | | Around 120,000 children are living with HIV in |
| devastating effects of HIV/ AIDS crisis. These kids | | | | Zimbabwe along with the most of the taxable |
| have lost their both parents and all elders in family to | | | | population of the country. They are living on margins, |
| the AIDS pandemic and experts fear that 1 out 5 | | | | mostly on the Food Aid. The School attendance has |
| children will become orphan by the end 2010 in | | | | declined from 85 % in 2007 to less than 20% in |
| Zimbabwe. 90 % of these children are raised through | | | | 2009. The student turn-out is low as a majority of |
| extended families and not in orphanage. Efforts to | | | | public schools have pegged school fees to match the |
| provide basic food, education and health facilities to | | | | running costs. |
| these children are getting hampered because of the | | | | Consequently, a majority of Zimbabwean children can |
| current political, economic and humanitarian crisis in | | | | not afford to pay these fees, have stopped |
| Zimbabwe. | | | | attending classes and access education; even if |
| These children are facing triple threat of cholera, | | | | schools are open and teachers conduct lessons. |
| Influenza A H1N1 and measles outbreaks while | | | | These orphan children (and others infected by the |
| Zimbabwe is having second highest monthly inflation | | | | virus) are particularly affected by the multiple |
| rates in the History of Mankind. Every 1 of the 7 | | | | traumas of chronically ill caregivers, orphan hood, lack |
| living in the age group o 15-40 years is suffering from | | | | of quality education and high food insecurity. |
| AIDS in Zimbabwe. More than half of adolescents are | | | | Many NGOs have come forward to address this issue |
| in fear of getting infected with HIV virus in a few | | | | along with UNICEF and other helping bodies. One such |
| years of time. | | | | organization, Heart4Kids is working for the cause |
| Absence of social safety, parents or guardians, | | | | since 2003 in Zimbabwe. |
| spiraling inflation, deteriorating physical infrastructure, | | | | Heart4Kids is a non-profit 501 3(C) organization |
| erosion of livelihoods, food insecurity, rising | | | | dedicated to improving the quality of life of children |
| malnutrition, inadequate fund to support education, | | | | around the world whose lives are shattered by the |
| the severe impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is | | | | HIV/AIDS virus. Heart4Kids seeks to protect these |
| having a dramatic impact on the overall well-being of | | | | children by providing them with food, clothing, |
| the children in Zimbabwe. These orphans struggle for | | | | educational and medical assistance, and above all |
| the basic necessities: food, clothing, education and | | | | hope. |