I think that poverty is one of the saddest global problems in the world right now. Poverty has been heightened due to the worldwide economic struggles. People loss their jobs and can't continue to pay their bills and before they know it, they're being evicted and forced to live out of their car - or worse, on the streets. The working class adults are not the only victims of the global recession; their children suffer everyday that their parents go a day without work. These children are forced to give up a normal children because their parents are unable to afford the basic costs of living.
The sad thing is that the most unhappy child could have all the video games and electronics that exist and more money than all the homeless people in the world combined, but yet, he or she isn't happy. And the happiest child could be found where you least except - for example, living out of a car with their family, barely having enough to eat.
This is the case for a sister and a brother that were on an episode of 60 minutes I just saw. This story really hit home for me because I know their must be some kids at Newark who get by just barely with the little money they make. The family on 60 minutes not only was happy, they were determined to do well in school and make use of their education the best they possibly could. The sister wanted to one day be a children's defense lawyer.
She seemed so happy and proud to just make it through each day. It surprised me how positive she was despite the fact that her mom had died not too long ago and that she was living in a small truck eating nothing but canned food. She wasn't thinking about her current living situation, she was focused on her future and how happy she was to just be healthy and have a loving dad.
Kids just like her go to schools around the world everyday unnoticed that they are truly homeless. What do you think schools/communities could do about this global problem? It is not fair for these children to have to live on the streets because of the lack of money thereof that their family has. Something needs to be done!
This just makes me feel terrible. I have more than enough, yet I am always complaining about something. I need to take a step back and look at the big picture.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a difficult problem to solve, because even though systems are in place to help those in need, it has been taken advantage by so many (that don't need it as much as others) that the others don't get any. For now there just needs to be a greater number of individuals that want to step forward to help, like volunteering at "Feeding the Homeless" events, or donating clothes, food, or money. I just hope that someday people including myself will realize how blessed they really are, and that a solution will be discovered to this massive problem.
ReplyDeleteThis made me really sad. And disgusted. There are people that get mad at their parents for not replacing their broken iPhone, television, etc. when there are kids that are just thankful that they have parents and an opportunity at education. It's amazing how motivated they are to do well so they can provide a better life for themselves and their children in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think schools and communities need to just be more aware and willing that this problem is occurring. Right now, I couldn't tell you one person at our school that I know is in this situation. And maybe kids don't want people to know. But there's got to be a way that the school can reach out and help these kids. There need to be more foods drives and kids should be able to donate clothes to the school so that if someone needs a winter coat or new shoes, they should be able to come to the school and get things that they need.
Americans have isolated themselves and don't often like to interact with other people--let alone acknowledge that there are people around us who are suffering.
I don't want to repeat what others have said, but it is very sad thinking about the horrible misfortune others experience. It is also frustrating knowing that some people cannot be satisfied at all. The worst of this problem in my opinion is the people who think they understand Poverty is blind and can strike anyone. Some people are born into a hard life, and die that way, too. Some people with privilege fail to recognize this sometimes, and cast judgement upon people they don't know. It's this intolerance that disappoints me the most.
ReplyDeletePoverty is a natural occurrence. Similarly to how there is a distribution curve for traits, there is an economic distribution curve. There will natural be those with more and those with less. Society has taught us to try to become one of the people with more, and what that results in is less for other people. Communism and the sharing of wealth is a great idea on paper, but when its practiced it almost always fail. We've been taught to want more and more and more, regardless of what that means for other people.
ReplyDeletePoverty is a cycle of life just like alot of things, poverty goes back to ancient Rome even. Even street children in Russia are forced into military service they dont have a chance at life they are forced in the military and get bullied and alot of them kill themselves there because they cant take it. I suppose schools should have for poor kids who really do well should be allowed to live in the school during the night and be allowed to use the gym showers and helped giving a job so they cant make something of themselves thats what i think should be done.
ReplyDelete