The purpose of this blog is to exchange questions and ideas about poverty related to children, childhood and education. I will use writings mainly from Levinas, Dalberg and Moss to expand my thoughts and inquiries. It is my hope that this blog will broaden my understanding of the role the early childhood educator can take in acting ethically to assist those in need.
The following quote tells us a great deal about the conditions of poverty that many of the world's youngest citizens will live their life in:
"Out of 100 children born in 2000, 30 will most likely suffer from malnutrition in their first five years of life, 26 will not be immunized against the basic childhood diseases (lack of opportunity for immunization), 19 will lack access to safe drinking water and 40 to adequate sanitation and 17 will never go to school." UNICEF
While many people living in Canada and the United States feel we need to first solve our nations' child poverty issues, the global effects of poverty will create yet another generation of poor parents if the children currently living in poverty survive their first five years. 600 million children currently live below the international poverty line. (Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2010) Poverty denies children the most basic opportunities for success in life; they are living without adequate food, water and shelter, not to mention they may be living and working in life threatening conditions rather than going to school. Lack of proper nutrition causes learning difficulties (failure to thrive, smaller brain size, difficulty concentrating on tasks) for children; as well, malnutrition leads to major health concerns later in life (heart disease, organ failure, shortened life span). As one of the least powerful people groups in society, children are permanently harmed by the physical and emotional damage caused by lack of resources early in life. Poverty creates poverty. In Developments: Child, Image, Nation, Erica Burman discusses the issue of poverty in developing countries and the effects of inequity in our world (particularly for girls). She brings light to the agency of Government's attempts to control poverty by imposing Western ideals upon impovrished families. She speaks of family planning and education for girls as governmental strategies to improve poverty conditions. Are these anti-poverty efforts fair? Should governement organizations, faith-based efforts or western countries be allowed to give relief money, build schools or fight malnutrition with conditions attached? What message are we as a wealthy nation sending to developing countries? In thinking with Erica Burman, it bothers me that we attach bias to our money; that we somehow "know better how to live than those we give to". Are we then not creating a bigger divide between "us" and "them" by imposing our values and beliefs on countries/people we feel rely on us for assistance. Assistance may be necessary to help eradicate poverty but do we have the right to impose our views on those we help?
Burman, Erica (2008) Developments: Child, Image, Nation. New York, USA, Routledge.
http://www.childpoverty.org/CHIP
