LONDON, ENGLAND (ANS) -- Rachel has been acting as a single parent since the age of eight. But she is by no means alone.

Shouldering burdens beyond her years, 13-year-old Rachel is head of the household for six younger children orphaned by AIDS in Uganda. She started acting as mom and dad aged only 8 when her parents died. credit: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund.

Rachel's teenage years have only just begun. But already she's facing some of life's bleakest moments: the death of both parents, loneliness and worry, the unexpected role as head of a household of six younger ones.

Eighty per cent of children orphaned by AIDS, some 12 million, live in sub-Saharan Africa. Many are older children caring for younger siblings. Worldwide a child is orphaned by AIDS every 15 seconds.

Child-headed households are usually from the poorest sectors of society, unaware of their rights or having no one to advocate on their behalf. Daily they suffer more than the death of their parents.

They can experience poor nutrition, loss of land, food sources and homes, damaging psychological effects of stigma, shame and isolation and risk sexual abuse, turning to the sex trade to raise money or recruitment into armed militias.

Churches working through hundreds of church volunteers, including those with HIV, are helping millions of children to cope with lives as orphans.

Today Tearfund, one of UK’s leading Christian relief and development agencies, launched its latest AIDS appeal pack which features film footage of a family of children orphaned by AIDS in Uganda also used in a broadcast by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Tearfund is committed to addressing the causes of poverty in many of the poorest countries around the world, and is a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee.

In the short film produced in association with Tearfund, Dr Rowan Williams talks of the response to HIV throughout the world that has been put into action by faith communities, including the Christian church, but also recognizes the failings of the church in the past. It recognizes that churches are already engaging but acknowledges the work still to do in tackling the pandemic that sees some 35 million people living with HIV today.

The footage comes from another short film made for Tearfund by award winning production company Pretzel, which follows 13 year old Rachel. She is literally one in a million children that have been orphaned by AIDS in Uganda. Having lost both parents and finding herself heading a household for her six younger siblings she daily cooks, cleans and digs a small area of land to grow food.

The DVD pack -- Bring Childhood Back to Life -- talks of the simple things that will do just that: education; nutritious food; medicine; the care and support of a compassionate church. “If I didn’t have the Pastor, it would be terrible for me,” says Rachel. “When my parents died, I realized I’m left alone and as the eldest I have to look after the younger ones.”

'She cares for six younger ones – all orphans, all below nine years old. But she’s not alone. There are more than 15.2 million children orphaned by AIDS worldwide. credit: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund.

Tearfund shares the Archbishop’s hope and sense of purpose – working with churches in the frontline response to HIV and Aids. Dr Williams said governments needed to be challenged to work effectively with faith-based organizations and he praised projects being run in Africa and elsewhere in which organizations like Tearfund are using the churches’ capacity to raise awareness, promote education and deliver care to those affected by the condition.

Through churches and Christian agencies Tearfund supports over 120 projects responding to HIV from as far a field as Egypt to Cambodia. Most of Tearfund’s support is focused on the worst hit regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Countries here include Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Uganda.

Tearfund’s Bring Childhood Back to Life DVD contains three

and eight minute versions of the films. They are ideal for churches and small groups. The pack also contains a detailed booklet full of facts and figures that put the orphan family stories in context, together with quotes, prayers and full details on how churches and individuals can help Tearfund bring childhood back to life.

£15GBP ($32USD) a month can help support families like Rachel’s, allowing them to go to school, eat nutritious food and get access to medical care.

A single gift or a commitment to pray can also help make a huge difference to tackling HIV and Aids.

Churches and small groups can order Tearfund’s Bring Childhood Back to Life pack (inc. the DVD featuring Rachel’s family) by calling +44 (0)845 355 8355. Or visit: www.tearfund.org/miracle  

For further information contact Jonathan Spencer in the press office on +44 (0)20 8943 7901 or +44 (0)7767 47351. Pictures available -- credit: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. His weblog appears at: Michael's Wor(l)d BLOG