Abstract
Orphans in South Africa are subjected to a life of increasing hardship and distress as the result of ongoing exposure to the overwhelming amount of risk factors surrounding them; HIV/AIDS being one of the most detrimental. HIV/AIDS remains one of the world’s most prevalent epidemics, spreading far and wide across the globe. However, South Africa continues to have the highest rate of infection and number of recorded cases of HIV/AIDS. Taking the lives of thousands of people each year, the epidemic does not end with those who have been infected but continues to infiltrate the lives of the children left behind. HIV/AIDS has orphaned a generation of children. The plight of an orphan in South Africa is compounded by multiple risk factors owing to the context of poverty and crime which results in psychological, educational and social challenges. Children are left in traumatised and vulnerable states and need support in managing as well as coping with the loss of their parents. Owing to the complex living arrangements of orphans in South Africa, continued inhabitancy with family is becoming increasingly difficult as financial means in these homes are already exhausted or overextended. Therefore, the need for orphanages in South Africa remains an essential housing option for many of these children. Consequently, it is imperative that the psychological and educational support being provided in such institutions intervenes at multiple levels of a child’s environment to foster their well-being...
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)