Getting to Know Your International Contacts: Part 1

For this week’s blog I did my best to communicate with the professionals I originally reached out to with a limited response. Stephanie Olmore, the Director of Quality Enhancement Initiatives at the NAEYC sent me several links to articles discussing international efforts related to poverty. I also decided to use the website www.globalissues.org to research poverty across the globe because I could not gain access to the website www.childpoverty.org. I messaged several professionals from the NAEYC global alliance partners list but several have not replied and several of the emails bounced back as unknown recipients. Someone that I am really eager to get in touch with from the Global Alliance from NAEYC is Dominique Hudicourt from the Step by Step Program in Haiti. A friend of mine recently adopted a little girl from Haiti who was orphaned in the earthquake that devastated the lives of so many people. Meeting this strong, brave and beautiful little girl has really affected me and has made me want to look into the conditions of poverty that affect this country.

First, the website www.globalissues.org offers statistics and facts about poverty issues in the U.S and across the globe. The first fact that I read truly shocked me. The website states that: “Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day” (Shah, 2013). Furthermore, the article explains that the two regions that account for the greatest part of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Shah explains that, “the poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income” (Shah, 2013). How corrupt is this! This statistic wasn’t all that surprising but it was still infuriating. The statement that really resonated with me is a quote that Shah referenced from UNICEF. It explains, “According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death” (Shah, 2013). The main issues discussed in the article that continue to cause poverty or affect the poor are that the poorest children (especially girls) are unable to attend schools. “Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen” (Shah, 2013). Diseases such as HIV and malaria cause the most deaths in children worldwide. The article also references safe water and shelter to be life threatening causes affecting the poor across the globe.

Statistics about poverty in Haiti:

1) As a result of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 approximately 230,000 people were killed in a matter of moments and 2 million others were displaced. 

2) Over 70,000 homes, businesses and public buildings were destroyed and nearly 5000 of these include schools.

     3) 500,000 children in Haiti are living in camps and many others living in slums. These children lack the protection of social and police services, and are under continued threat of exploitation and abuse.

 

The website http://www.savethechildren.org/ offers pertinent information about their cause and many programs that they offer in response to the need in Haiti. The website also offers many opportunities to get involved, volunteer or help out financially by making a donation to an intended cause.

References

Save the Children Federation, Inc. (2014). Save the Children-Haiti. Retrieved from:

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6151435/k.B1C9/Haiti.htm#hivprev

Shah, A. (2013).  Poverty Facts and Stats. Global Issues- Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All. Retrieved from: www.globalissues.org