Malawi is located in Southern Africa and borders Mozambique,
Tanzania, and Zambia. This country occupies a total area of
118,484 square kilometers1 and has a population of 15,028,757,2
making it one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most densely populated
countries.3 Children fourteen years of age or younger account
for 45.4% of the population,4 and 53% of the population is below
the poverty line.5 People living with HIV/AIDS number 930,000;
the rate of prevalence of HIV/AIDS among adults is 11.9%.6
Poverty and HIV/AIDS are two major challenges impacting Malawi’s
children. According to a 2004 Demographic and Health Survey,
approximately 21% of Malawi’s 6.4 million children, aged 17 or
younger, were orphans: 6% were maternal orphans, 12% were
paternal orphans, and 4% were double orphans.7 AIDS-related
deaths account for approximately half of all orphans.8
Institutional or residential care is one intervention used in
dealing with the orphan crisis. According to estimates, Malawi
has 40 children’s homes taking care of 2,5