In Thailand, over a quarter of a million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. By 2010, this number is expected to increase to over 350,000 orphans. Unlike most diseases, HIV/AIDS generally kills not just one, but both parents. UNICEF reports:

On top of the psychological impact of losing one’s parents, children who lose their parents to AIDS are often stigmatized … by their communities. These children are often much more at risk of becoming a victim of violence, exploitative child labor, discrimination or other abuses. Surviving children face malnutrition, illness, physical and psychosocial trauma, and impaired cognitive and emotional development.

One way to bring hope these orphans is to enable them to live with their extended families—aunts, uncles, grandparents or other relatives. WACAP works with the International Support Group Foundation (ISGF) in Thailand to provide sponsorships for orphaned children living with their relatives. These sponsorships provide funding for school tuition, uniforms, books and other costs that the guardians incur by bringing the children into their household. This extra funding allows children to stay in school instead of dropping out to work. The children below have all lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS. For $24 a month, you can make a significant difference in a child’s life by enabling the child to live with extended family and attend school.

You can support WACAP’s Thailand projects in two ways: