Benson barely had time to grieve his mother’s death when he realized the task of caring for two brothers had fallen on his young shoulders.
In less than five years, the 14-year-old boy had lost both parents to AIDS-related illnesses. And as the conflict in war-torn northern Uganda continued to escalate, the boys were increasingly vulnerable to abduction and forced conscription into the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group known for its brutality and traumatizing tactics.
To make matters worse, community members believed the children were also HIV-positive and refused to offer shelter or care. Benson had to carry this burden alone.
 |
With an estimated 2.2 million orphans, Uganda has more parentless children than any other nation on the continent except South Africa, according to the United Nations. Plagued by poverty, poor health, abandonment, malnourishment, and the loss of family support systems, UNICEF estimates that another 5.4 million children can be classified as highly vulnerable. In all, at least 7.6 million of Uganda’s boys and girls face a daily struggle to survive.
Read more about this story at Samaritan’s Purse
