More than 40.3 million people worldwide are infected with HIV (Human Immuno Deficiency Virus). By 2020 will infect about 20 million orphans with the virus.

Those affected are often young adults with children and elderly parents to support-the very people on whom the communities build their futures. Though HIV can infect anyone, it is the poor who suffer most from the effects. According to the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), India is having the highest number of HIV infected in the world. India is facing one and half biggest public challenge in its history. Since the identification of HIV in India in 1986, the rate of infection is increased at an alarming rate to reach 5.1 million people by May 2004, with an adult prevalence rate of 00.9%. Although India is still considered as a low prevalence country, the absolute number of its current HIV cases places India as the second, next to South Africa.

It is easy to try and ignore HIV and AIDS. However, AIDS affects us all. Ordinary people, including young children, living ordinary lives may become sick and die. Children may lose their parents, older people may lose their children, and our communities may lose farmers, teachers, health workers and builders-people that we depend upon. The loss of skilled people means business and trade suffer. Over 20million people have died from AIDS and 38 million people around the world are now living with HIV and AIDS. Over 15million children have so far lost one or both parents due to AIDS. These figures continue to rise.

AIDS has a dramatic impact on children, particularly through the emergence of an entire generation of orphans to families affected by HIV. To date, the epidemic has left behind 13.3million orphans, children who before the age of 15 have lost either mother or both parents to AIDS. Studies have shown that children orphaned by AIDS are a grater risk of malnutrition, illness, abuse and sexual exploitation than children orphaned by other causes. The stigma and discrimination they face can also deprive them of basic social services and education.