Poverty Across the World
Over 600 million children world-wide live in absolute poverty - an estimated 1 in 4. In many countries, rates are much higher with over 60 percent of children living in households with incomes below international poverty lines. Over 10 million children under five still die every year from preventable diseases - the vast majority of them in developing countries. As one of the most powerless groups in society, children often bear the physical and emotional costs of poverty (Childhood Policy and Research Center, CHIP).
Since I still have not heard from the international contacts I reached out to I am doing the alternative assignment. I found the Childhood Policy and Research Centers website very interesting and informative. I was amazed to read that 600 million children live in poverty. I know poverty is a problem across many countries but did not realize the extent of it.
The country I chose to read and write about is China. Again, I was surprised to hear about the amount of children living in poverty. 4.2 million Chinese children live in absolute poverty and 8.7 million live in disadvantaged conditions (Childhood Policy and Research Center, CHIP).
It frustrating that government’s across the world cut money from early childhood education.
The story that touched me the most was Nan Nan’s. “Fourteen-year-old Nan Nan moved to Hefei, the capital of China’s Anhui province, a year ago. She used to live and go to school in a rural part of Anhui, and is finding life in her new school difficult: “I do not like studying at the school in Hefei, I have no friends here, and all my friends are now in Shucheng. I am regarded as a rural farmer child. My schoolmates always laugh at me because of my rural accent. I am two years older than the kids in my class, who say I must be stupid because I cannot go into a higher grade with kids my own age. The teachers do not care much about me. I always wish I could go back to Shucheng, but my mum and dad told me that if I study at the school in Hefei, I will receive better teaching and get good grades, and that I can then have a better life in the future” (Childhood Policy and Research Center, CHIP).
I can respect where she is coming from. I have never felt comfortable in several educational situations, and I still feel that way. Self Esteem is very important to building children’s self-worth. From what I read about Nan-Nan she seemed to be going through the same thing. I am also feeling that way in this course. I am not sure where to go from here…
Poverty is a big concern in the educational field, not just in the USA but across the world. It is an issue that law makers need to look at and take into consideration when they are making their laws.
References:
(http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/
Linda,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing what you have learned about poverty and particularly poverty in China. The story you told us about Nan Nan is heartbreaking. As an educator, we never want children to feel uncomfortable in their classroom. I can not imagine how she feels day after day, especially since her teacher also makes her feel like an outsider. I am sorry that you also feel this way. If there is anything I can do to help alleviate this feeling, please let me know. We are all in this together!! Thank you for sharing this personal information with us. Good luck!
Really enjoyed reading your blog. There are so many children facing poverty, as individuals and teachers that care for children we should consider working with organizations to make a difference as well. It is a shame that a teacher would make a child feel like an outsider. The teacher is like the mother away from home, we encourage children to do there best and support the 100% not make them feel unwelcome.
ReplyDeleteThere are many young children with low self esteem, and there mother may have low self esteem also. Some of my families that i work with on a daily basis they have very very low self esteem. I always try to talk about something uplifting before we get into our educational work for that visit.
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