Burundi: HIV and Conflict
HIV/AIDS' + Conflict.
More than 13 million children have been orphaned by Aids, 95% of them in Africa; 4 million children have died of AIDS since the epidemic began. Life expectancy has fallen by between 18-23 years in the worst affected countries. Conflict and HIV/AIDS impact most heavily on children, especially girls.
Here young Burundians speak about the dual issues of HIV/AIDS and WAR.'
Burundi
" The attackers killed both my parents. the man with the machete cut my mum's throat. A man with an axe killed my dad." Odette Ndayizeye (12yrs) lives in an orphanage for children affected/infected by AIDS'.
Burundi
"We had to flee leaving our home and land behind. Our first worry is finding a place to live, then its food and then it's general care and protection.It's hard to be courageous in this situation." Clemence (11), Chantal (6) and Rose (4) lost their father in the war of 1993 and their mother to AIDS. they have been sleeping on the streets for the last two years, Gitega, Burundi.
Burundi
"Children in Burundi are more scared of war than AIDs" Cyrille Kiganahe (17yrs) lives in a centre for orphaned by the war and AID's.
Burundi
"I think AID's is a bigger problem than war because it kills so many people in burundi. Some children are more scared of war than AIDS'. Others are more scared of WAR. Personally, I'm scared of war." Edouard Kamana (12yrs) who lived in a centre for children orphaned by war and AIDs'.
Burundi
"I don't remember how long I've been here. I was with my Granny before. I lost both of my parents. They were sick and died." Friends Noelie (12) and Felicite (7) live in an orphanage for children affected/Infected by HIV/AIDS and War. Gitega, Burundi.
Burundi
"Please help us get medicines, and make them cheaper and allow us to have affordable hospital cost." Odette hold her son Gilbert (1). Gilbert is infected with the HIV virus and currently has Tuberculosis. King Kaled of Kamenge Hospital, Bujumbura, Burundi.
Burundi
"HIV is quickly passed on in displaced sites. It spins around like the Globe itself. When I see a man that I could love, I image being his wife. but then I remember: I am infected with HIV." Francoise Nditabiriye (22) lives in a camp for displaced people, near Gitega, Burundi.
Burundi
"My father died in 1995; and my mother died in 1998. My youngest sister died in 2001. The youngest and the second youngest have been infected with HIV. We live like children without parents. Before the war, in 1993, we lived in a mainly Hutu area. We took refuge in another area. We saw bullet flying. People were killed because of their ethnic group." Gaetan (17), Gloriose (18) and Alphonse (18) They live alone with their younger sister. Their youngest sister died of AIDs. Bujumbura, Burundi.
Burundi
"I'm less worried about AIDS because I'm abstaining from sex until marriage." Luc Nkunriunziza (20) lives in a suburb of Bujumbura for displaced people. Local workers estimate that 40% of the a population of 5,000 are infected by HIV.
Burundi
"Young widows in displaced sites can't watch their children die of hunger, so they sell sex to get money." Claudine Ndikumana (13) lives in an orphanage for young girls who are either infected or affected by AIDS. Bujumbura, Burundi.
Burundi
"Without war, we could fight AIDS properly. We must at all costs find a way to stop the war." Eric Kadigiri (18) lives in a suburb of Bujumbura for displaced people. Local workers estimate that 40% of the population of 5,000 are infected by HIV.
Burundi
"If your parents die of AIDS, you are rejected by society. In my case, the lady I was living with saw blotches on my legs and began to distrust me. Everyone agrees AIDS is the biggest problem here because there is no medicine to stop it, and when it gets into the family, it kills everyone." Genevieve Nzeyimana (18) lives with 17 other young AIDS orphans. All are either infected or Affected by AIDS. Bujumbura, Burundi.
Burundi
"There is a big problem in our country-AIDS' is caused by promiscuity, which is caused by war." Pierre nduwimana (17) lives in an orphanage for children affected/Infected by HIV/AIDS and War. Gitega, Burundi.
Burundi
" I want to have a Caesarian so my baby does not get infected with HIV." Regina Karikurubu (28yrs) and her daughter. Regina is eight month pregnant with her second child and lives in a makeshift camp for displaced people near Gitega, Burundi.