Los Angeles Times reporter, Carolyn Cole, created a photo essay on Swaziland and the AIDS crisis there. Ms. Cole traveled to Swaziland because she was interested in covering AIDS orphans and she had heard that Swaziland had the highest incidence of AIDS in the world. Cabrini Ministries and St. Philip’s Mission are highlighted in her piece. As part of the presentation, Sr. Barbara Staley, MSC tells of the desperate situation in Swaziland and what Cabrini Ministries strives to bring to the 127 orphans they serve:

"Swaziland is a country of 1 million people. And its official HIV/AIDS incidence rate is 42%. Of our 127 children, we have 84 whose both parents are dead. We have 36 who have one parent dead. And then we have several children who come from very vulnerable situations. By the year 2010 - 3 1/2 years from now - there will be 200,000 orphaned children in this country - well over 50% of the children of the country are orphans. It's a land devastated by illness... Swaziland is a peaceful country. It's never been at war. It has not been under any sort of oppressive regime. What is the enemy is HIV and AIDS. It's completely tearing apart the economic and social infrastructure. The Swazi myth, the Swazi tradition, has always been that the children are cared for by the extended family if something happens to their parents. But that myth, that tradition is no longer applicable. And though it's a desperate situation, we here at Cabrini Ministries, we think that we offer a situation of hope - basically what we try to do is to provide love." - Sr. Barbara Staley, MSC

Sr. Barbara Staley is joined in her work by Sr. Diane Dalle Molle, MSC and Cabrini Mission Corps missioner, Bobby Farris, who will soon be returning to the United States following two years of volunteer service at Cabrini Ministries.

Please take a moment to view this presentation – it is compelling.

AIDS in Africa flash presentation

Read more about the Missionary Sisters:
http://www.mothercabrini.org

Read more about Cabrini Mission Corps:
http://www.cabrini-missioncorps.org