I chose to research Haiti because I took a missions trip there and saw first hand the poverty and difference of living in a 3rd world country versus the United States. Children in Haiti are fighting the cycle of poverty that has been transmitted from one generation to another there for years. During my time there in 2006, no children had shoes, they wandered the streets alone which can be dangerous. They rarely had shoes on, smelled and were very dirty. They would follow and ask us for money anytime we walked outside the building we were staying at.
Through the UNICEF website, I did find that children are currently fighting a cholera epidemic that is the largest epidemic in recent history. House visits are done by TEPAC water and sanitation workers, to teach families hot to sanitize their water with kits they are given. They also encourage Haitians to practice good hygiene to avoid getting cholera. Cholera is an awful infection that affects the small intestine of the infected person, causing diarrhea, vomiting and if left untreated, death.
Haitian children are also facing challenges in the Dominican Republic as they Constitutional Court is depriving Haitian children right to citizenship which affects thousands of children there. These children will be affected because they will not have access to basic social protection programs, have the ability to attain an education or degree, and even obtain identity cards and passports. This will cause the children be subject to exploitation and abuse without the basic protections so many of us may take for granted. UNICEF is working to show support for the protection of children’s physical safety and their rights.
The early emotional effects of poverty on children can be severe. They have lasting effects on children’s
social competence in early childhood. Children may lack the desire to satisfy their growth needs such as the "need to know and understand things, to appreciate beauty, or to grow and develop in appreciation of others" according to Slavin (2006).
The fight against poverty and for children’s physical safety and rights is one that should continue. Children need adults to speak up for them and in a country like the United States of America, we often take many things for granted that many other countries do not have. Clean water, simple hygiene practices and protection of rights are just a few things to point out after my research. As an early childhood professional, I understand my duty to speak up for the voiceless children and to become more involved in organizations like UNICEF that helps so many children all around the world.
Jessica I applaud your concern and caring for the poverty that plagues Hati and the children who live there. We definitely need more advocacy against poverty and for the physical safety of all children. I hope the Domnican Republic changes their views of not accepting Hatian children as citizens. Who ever heard of such a thing? Why would anyone want to put children in jeopardy? All children deserve rights like anyone else.I like your post, because, it has brought to my attention the status in Hati. You have made me more aware of how the govenment or the people responsible are handling the situation. Thank you
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteHaiti is a great choice. After the large earthquake there recently (I want to say about 2 years ago) I wondered what children were left to do when their parents were killed in the quake and there was nobody to take care of them. Last summer, I was at my parent's house and noticed that the children who live 2 houses down from my parent's were on the corner selling lemonade with a sign that said "help us bring our twin sisters back from Haiti". My dad talked with the father a few weeks later and found out that the family was in the process of adopting twin girls (I think they are about 5 years old) from Haiti. They are orphans and the family had them moved from one orphanage to another orphanage that is in a better area while they complete they process of adoption which is expected to take at least 2 years. It upsets me that the process takes this long because this is valuable time in a child's life. My parent's neighbors are eager to get the children to the US where they will receive an education and be cared for much better than they are in the orphanage. I know the family would be devastated if the children were struck with cholera while playing "the waiting game".
Tara