HIV/AIDS seems to compound and even fuel the struggles of poverty and family dysfunction.  In Crossroads it brings practical difficulties to families alongside the fear and distress of an HIV+ diagnosis, such as:

• loss of employment and therefore income
• expensive treatment for sick family members and children
• loss of savings following a death
• being ostracised by family and neighbours

The Provincial Administration of the Western Cape statistics for the Nyanga Health District (including Crossroads and Philippi) shows that presently 28.8% of adults living in the area are HIV positive. This is the second highest infection rate for a district within the Western Cape, which has an average infection rate of 15.1%. This translates to an estimated 63,000+ people infected out of a population of 228,020 people living in Philippi and Crossroads.