Life in institutional care: the voices of children in a residential facility in Botswana

Abstract

As a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, there are now more than 12 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of these children have been absorbed into their extended families. A minority of AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children are living in residential care facilities. Although concerns have been raised regarding the care received in such facilities, very little is known about children's perspectives on their own experiences residing in these institutions. As part of an ongoing initiative to better understand the impact of HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa and what can be done to address needs, one-on-one interviews were conducted with the children and youth residents, and graduates of a residential care facility in Botswana. The children report on the importance of having uninterrupted access to food, shelter and schooling and a sense of belonging. However, they also reveal a profound ambivalence towards their paid caregivers, and the other children residents. They describe being separated from siblings, missing their families and feeling disconnected from the community at large. Their narratives offer insight into ways in which we can better meet their complex needs. Policy implications are discussed.

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