Sadly, I have still been unable to establish contact with a ECE professional outside of the United States. However, I decided to use the UNICEF website to learn about poverty in a country I am interested in and that was Haiti.
Even before the big earthquake in Haiti, poverty was already at a high. Over 40% of the population is made up of children and youth under the age of 18. Due to the poverty levels and malnutrition an estimated 1in 6 children under the age of 5 with die.
Malnutrition is just one of the challenges that the children and youth in Haiti face. Children and youth are exposed to violence, child sex trafficking , abuse and homelessness.
Due to the cost of education being high and most families unable to afford it only half child attend primary school and even less children attend secondary school. Because of the lack of education only about half of the adult population is literate. However, with the efforts of UNICEF andntje "Back to School Campaign" in 201170% of the children ages 6-18 are attending school and it has ensured education for 903,000 children.
Reading about poverty in Haiti makes my heart sad. These children are not getting a chance to be children. They are working as servants or looking over their shoulder for their own protection and safety. I found the type of poverty in Haiti almost as foreign as the country is to me. No child should have to live that way. Living in an environment lime that does not allow the child to reach their full.potential. also with only half the popation literate how can they progress? The help of UNICEF and other organization will help make a difference but it takes more than the outside working in. Work has to be done from the inside out.
Resource: www.unicef.org
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