Family: In many situations, after either one or both parents have deceased, natural brothers and sisters are separated in an effort to distribute the burden of responsibility among a number of relatives. They are either placed with relatives or, in some instances, taken to other locations. Grandmothers are often the first to take on the responsibility of raising their grandchildren who have been orphaned. In some African countries where the death rate among adults form the ages of 25 to 44 is very high because of HIV and AIDS, most of the responsibility of raising children is left to grandmothers and the elderly.