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Difficulties
The 2006 census (Bureau of Statistics, 2006) found that the number of orphans in
Lesotho grew by almost 60% over the period 1996-2006. Of these, 63% were paternal
orphans, meaning that their father had died but the mother was alive, while 16.6% were
maternal orphans (the mother had died but the father was alive) and 20.4% were double
orphans (both parents had died). The 2004 Demographic and Health Survey (Ministry
of Health and Social Welfare, 2005) found that a total of 29.3% of all children in Lesotho
were orphans.
Orphan prevalence by age and gender, 2006
Age Group
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-17
Male %
13.6
24.7
35.6
26.1
Female %
13.9
24.7
35.5
26.0
Source: BOS (2007: 80)
Orphan prevalence by age and gender, 2011
Source: Situational Analysis of VC of 2011
Owing to the HIV/Aid's pandemic, the numbers of orphans continues to grow. Not all of
whom can be fully cared for by public assistance. There are still some vulnerable who
do not receive benefit of public assistance because of lack of knowledge of the services
and grants available.