Reflection

The following quotes express my sentiments regarding poverty and what I have learned of poverty around the world as a result of what I encountered within the past seven weeks through articles, podcasts and multimedia videos.

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest. ~Nelson Mandela

I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. ~Benjamin Franklin

When you see in places like Africa and parts of Asia abject poverty, hungry children and malnutrition around you, and you look at yourself as being people who have well-being and comforts, I think it takes a very insensitive, tough person not to feel they need to do something. ~Ratan Tata

International Contacts PT III

“Many young people are vulnerable to coercion, abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. For this reason, UNESCO provides technical guidance on sexuality education to member states, including promotion of good practices in menstruation education.”

UNESCO works to achieve Education for All by promoting the health of every individual within the school community. The Organization promotes good policies and practice in the education sector, helps partners create safe learning environments, and promotes life skills-based instruction through modern, interactive teaching methods. UNESCO is guided by the recognition of humanity’s growing interdependence and our need to collectively analyze the risks and challenges that affect our health and ability to live together.

When addressing quality education, health status plays a huge part. Children are not able to effectively learn when they have to deal with the stress factors associated with major health issues as in some third world countries. 

It is important to have programs in place to spread knowledge and awareness about the benefits of remaining healthy. When children are aware and practice good health habits, they are more likely to be healthier and spread the information to their families, including children that may not be of school age at home. Once should never underestimate the power of spreading the word.

References:

http://en.unesco.org/themes/health-education

Sharing Web Resources

For this assignment, I read an article entitled “Hungry Children in Rich America.” The article spoke about how there are so many children across the country that are suffering from hunger. Though there are some programs in effect to reduce these instances, we still have far too many children suffering in “rich” America.

“Nearly 220,000 Ohio children under age six are poor and young children of color are more likely to be poor. More than half (55.5 percent) of Black children, 40.3 percent of Hispanic, and 19.1 percent of White children under six in Ohio are poor; 21 percent of them live in families where at least one parent works full-time year-round; 47 percent have at least one parent working part of the year or part-time; and 32 percent have no employed parent. Nearly one in four Ohio children lacks consistent access to adequate food—that’s 653,410 Ohio children of all ages in every corner of the state. Nationally, 15.3 million children were food insecure in 2014. The majority live in families with one or more working adults—but are still unable to consistently afford enough food to keep the wolves of hunger from their door.”

Policyholders are leaning in the right direction when it comes to such issues within our communities, but there is so much more that can be done. Change will also take the work of the communities as well. Voices have to be heard in order for change to come. We must work together to spread awareness so the need for change can be best understood.

Reference:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/hungry-children-in-rich-a_b_9116292.html

Equity in Early Childhood Systems - A Closer Look