2020 African Children's Home – The 18 Millions Little Dreams

18,240,000. This is the total number of orphans in West Africa, which represents up to 10.64% of the population under 18 years old in the region, according to UNICEF’s 2012 report.

HIV/AIDS epidemic is the main factor that fuels the orphan crisis in Africa. 6,000 children are orphaned by HIV/AIDS every day - that means 1 newly orphaned child every 14 seconds. Poverty, maternal mortality, unwanted pregnancy, war & conflict as well as the latest Ebola outbreak are causing more kids to become orphans. It is estimated 2,102,400 more children become orphans every year.

In addition, there are about 150,000,000 street children in Africa who were not counted in that number and they are mostly orphans.

What can we do for these hundred millions of helpless and vulnerable kids in West Africa?

River of Life Foundation currently supports two orphanages in West Africa. 41 and 15 children are under the care of the Togo orphanage and the Cameroon orphanage respectively. They are between the ages of 4 to 15. Prior to coming to the orphanage, they were mostly street children without parents and relatives. Other than food, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene and basic health care, the orphanage supports their formal education so that they may become an independent person to contribute to their society one day.

After coming to the orphanage, their lives were transformed. In this supportive and loving home, they no longer fear for anything and start to strive for their future courageously. Though they may look very shabby outwardly, when you talk to them, you would realize that they all have great dreams. Some of them want to be engineer, lawyer, banker, diplomat, news reporter, artist and even pastor!

Are you willing to help these African kids fulfill their dreams?