How many times have we been confronted with Poverty, stark poverty that rips your heart out every time you see it until you get to the point that all of your tears are locked into a place that is safe from daily interactions? Not the United States version of poverty where even the poorest have it better than in some Countries. Not the United States where the poorest receive Medical Care, and there are Food Stamps for the truly needy. This isn't the poverty I'm talking about.
I'm talking about the Poverty of Children being isolated from the world because of ignorance, and misinformation that lead to fear. I'm talking about children that lived in such squalor that the first thought upon seeing their lifestyle was one of disbelief. The heart and Soul screaming for justice, and screaming for the lives that were wasting away. I'm talking about children that were made to wear separate clothing designating their disease for the world to see. Caretakers telling the children they were going to die and go to a black hole in the ground. These are the faces of poverty ingrained in my soul.
33 Million pople right now are affected with the HIV/AIDS virus worldwide, and 25 Million have already died, including thousands of children. You can see more information by clicking/reading my other Post here: Blog Action Day-Health, HIV/AIDS and Poverty but for this Blog Post I just want to share a few of the many faces of Poverty of children living with HIV/AIDS that I worked with.
This is Florin- He was about 9 years old. Most of the time he was confined to his bed as he had something wrong with his leg, and couldn't walk very well.
His family actually lived close by, but they had no money to care for him, so they left him in the Hospital, abandoned.
With the help of one of the local NGO's Florin actually went home. We set up Foster Homes, and Group Homes for all 25 kids abandoned in this Hospital. It was the first Hospital for HIV/AIDS kids in the country that actually was closed down because the children were integrated into Society. This NGO with the help of some other larger NGO's (non-governmental non-profit organizations) developed programs to help keep children in their families instead of abandoning them to the State.
This is the Playground at the Hospital. The Swing set had been broken for years, there was one slide, and nothing else but dirt.
Georgie was another little boy that died. He was maybe 7 or 8 years old and adorable. I will never forget the Staff putting him on a blanket in this dirt and leaving him while the other kids played around him. This was actually an improvement over previous "treatment" but it was still very hard to watch.
Many many children died before their 10th Birthday. This little boy only had a few more weeks before he too passed away. The Crackers you see, and the little car were donations from people. These kids lived a life where nothing was theirs. Nothing. No matter if a donation came in or not, everything belonged to everyone or anyone.
One of the biggest mistakes I made with these children was in using my American frame of reference to "help" them. In many ways we do more harm than good because these kids, and their culture, are so different. I took several home for a week-end Foster Parenting Program, but if I had to do it again I wouldn't. I would help a Host Country National with resources instead. Why, because my values are different. My idea of children was different, and after giving the child new clothes, a bath, medicine, etc. they had to go back. But the difference is now they KNEW they had nothing. Now they knew what it was like not to be hungry, and to be able to take a bath, and wear clean clothes that fit. They knew what it was like to go to a playground, walk along the river, or just ride on the bus. They knew that the life they had was missing so much.
I think that's the worst part of poverty is knowing that you don't have the same as others through no fault of your own. I think it's the lack of choices you have, and how other people treat you. The faces of Poverty are many. Some break our hearts, and others we try to ignore.
We can all make a difference. We can help change some of the faces of Poverty just by our donations to reputable Charities, ones in the Host Country that does the work. UNICEF, World Vision, and many many other Organizations use donated funds to help NGO's in various countries fund programs. We CAN make a difference in Children's Lives.
Working Together in this Global World can make a Differnce.....
Let's work together to change the Faces of Poverty
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By: Kathy McGraw- CELLing Realty
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