267 The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that there are more than 34 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, 11 million of whom are orphaned by HIV/AIDS (UNICEF, 2003). Uganda alone is estimated to have around 2 million orphans, constituting approximately 19 percent of all chil- dren in the country. The particularly frightening scale of the problem in Uganda has been attributed to HIV/AIDS, ongoing armed conflicts and eco- nomic marginalization (Tripp, 2004; UNICEF, 2003; Wakhweya et al., 2002). Increasing attention has been paid to the magnitude of the orphan problem, as well as to the well-being of the orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. The growing body of literature, however, has often suffered from broad gen- eralizations of the challenges implied by the present orphan situation. The objective of this article is to bring attention to the substantial differences in well-being between different categories of orphans. This article represents an attempt to deconstruct the image of the African orphan as either inherently THE VARYING VULNERABILITY OF AFRICAN ORPHANS The case of the Langi, northern Uganda CHRISTOPHER OLEKE University of Bergen ASTRID BLYSTAD University of Bergen KAREN MARIE MOLAND University of Bergen OLE BJØRN REKDAL Bergen University College KRISTIAN HEGGENHOUGEN Boston University School of Public Health Key words: HIV/AIDS, fostering, orphans, Uganda, vulnerability Mailing address: Christopher Oleke Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, Uganda. [email: Christopheroleke@yahoo.com] Childhood Copyright © 2006 SAGE Publications. London, Thousand Oaks and New Delhi, Vol 13(2): 267–284. www.sagepublications.com 10.1177/0907568206062943 This article is based on a qualitative study carried out in Lira District, northern Uganda, to assess the situation of orphans cared for in extended families. The objective of the article is to bring attention to the varying vulnerability of different categories of orphans. The methods employed in data collection included ethnographic fieldwork, qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. The study found that the decision-making process that leads particular orphans to particular homes, the kin category an orphan resides with, the age and sex of the orphan and the economic situation of the household have particular influence on the orphans’ vulnerability. The authors conclude that categories of orphans who face the greatest risk of suffering, exploitation and abuse can be identified and targeted for support by drawing upon these factors as indicators.