Zambia, though it has had a stable government for many years, is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Most of Zambia is rural and two-thirds of Zambians live at a subsistence level on less than a dollar a day. The life expectancy of a Zambian is 42.5 years.

Between 17% and 25% of young adults in Zambia are infected with HIV. In 2005, AIDS took the lives of 98,000 people. As a result, in a country of 11.5 million people, there are over 820,000 AIDS orphans. The impact of AIDS is felt in every aspect of Zambian life. National development has been stifled, as there are not enough able-bodied adults to perform the nation’s fundamental tasks; there are too few people to farm, to fish, to run businesses, to teach and to cure the sick. 

In Zambia, as in many African countries, there is a widespread belief that a man can be cured of AIDS by sleeping with a virgin. The “Virgin Cure” myth leaves many victimized young girls few options for their future beyond prostitution.

For more information on Zambia, click here.