The South African Minister of Social Development is encouraging people to consider adoption. As the number of children orphaned by AIDS continues to increase, the need for loving, permanent homes increases, too.

The website of South Africa's Bush Radio 89.5 provided the following details about the minister's adoption appeal:

• KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Gauteng have the largest number of vulnerable children and with an estimated 1.5 million orphans in South Africa
• The number of vulnerable children is expected to reach two million by 2010.
• Minister of Social Development Edna Molewa said that the economic downturn has resulted in dramatic increases in cases of child abandonment, with the majority of children becoming vulnerable to poverty.

A general lack of information, combined with lengthy court proceedings, has led to a decrease in adoption, the radio station's website reported. As of July, 2009, more than 500,000 South African children were living in foster care.

Labels: international, foster_care

Posted By: Aspen/CRC