| There are alarming statistics that warn "every 14 | | | | around the world afflicted with the same dilemma |
| seconds a Child Headed Household is formed." Sister | | | | bring the total orphaned children to over 16,000,000. |
| Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has written a guidebook to help | | | | The book provides a broad selection of photos which |
| alert concerned citizens of the magnitude of the | | | | depict bright-eyed children, resilient, with endurance |
| problem and to provide the reader with answers the | | | | and with promise, doing their best, struggling to stay |
| questions: "What should I know, and what can I do | | | | together, taking the role of adults in caring for |
| to help them succeed?" A Child Headed Household is | | | | younger siblings. |
| defined as: children who have survived the death of | | | | Each chapter of the book offers suggestions for |
| their parents from AIDS. These households are made | | | | actions for the reader to take as members of a |
| up of "little brothers and sisters struggling to stay | | | | growing world community of concerned citizens. |
| alive and remain together as a family." There are | | | | Comprehensive references with additional web links |
| often three to eight children per household. | | | | to organizations working with these children offer |
| Sister Lloyd is quick to point out that the current | | | | solutions which help insure that these children will |
| view taken by most that these are victims | | | | survive, and will succeed. |
| dependent and powerless must be replaced with a | | | | Sister Mary Elizabeth opens her final chapter with a |
| vision of how these children have the courage to | | | | challenge for the reader to respond to Mother |
| take control of their economic hardships, deprivations, | | | | Teresa's call to action: "If I look at the masses, I will |
| and exploitation in positive ways so that they can | | | | never act. If I look at the one, I will." |
| remain together as family. It is this determination that | | | | "Aids Orphans Rising" will grip your heart. The needs |
| became the motivation for Sister Lloyd to write this | | | | will linger in your consciousness long after you have |
| book. | | | | read the final word and closed the covers of the |
| All regions of the world are impacted by the | | | | book. Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd has presented the |
| enormity of the plight of these children. India, alone, is | | | | case for these children. Now it is up to us, the |
| faced with 3,700,000 children orphaned. Statistics | | | | readers, to decide which suggested action steps we |
| indicate that China has 2,300,000. Other countries | | | | can take to help them succeed. |