Getting to Know Your International Contacts

Unfortunately, I have not yet received any responses and most of my emails came back as failure to delivery. For this assignment, I found an article on poverty in Senegal.

          

             The author begins by comparing the definition of poverty between the United Nations and Dakar, Senegal. He states that in the United Nations poverty is defined as a denial of choices and opportunities or a violation of human dignity. In Dakar, poverty can be defined as the lack of basic needs and not being able to participate in society; for instance, not having enough to feed and clothe a family, no access to schools or health clinics, and not having enough land to grow food nor a job for as a means of income, or not having any access to credit. In return this leads to susceptibility to violence, having to live in marginal and fragile environments, and also having no access to clean water or sanitation.  (Otoo 2012).

          The author goes on to explain that poverty in Senegal sometimes forces children to be separated from their families. Most often, children are left to be supported by their extended family. Unfortunately though, the children (girls especially), are failed by this support and usually become victims to sexual and physical abuse by a family member, guardians, or institutions that they are left to rely on for care. As a result, these children tend to run away to escape these horrors but end up on the streets where they are then vulnerable to alcohol, drugs, crime, and/or sexual and physical violence. (Otoo 2012).

Many of the poor children are not able to get an education because they are forced to take care of themselves or have to help their households and work for extra income. Others become victims to forms of exploitation such as child trafficking. Often orphaned and head of their household, children turn to stealing and street begging. Too often children are left to do whatever it is they can to survive on the streets. This cycle of poverty then continues on to the next generation. (Otoo 2012).

The Global Fund for Children is supporting programs in Senegal that work with families, communities, government agencies, and the children themselves in order to fight against children having to beg and are hoping to destroy the root causes. (Otoo 2012). 

It is a fact that poverty leads to violence, bullying, children dropping out of school, and it creates a cycle. In America, it is rare that we hear about children actually being exposed to child trafficking for extra money or having to survive on the streets the best they can. Unfortunately though, this is the gruesome truth, of many children’s day to day “norm.” It a blessing that we have organizations such as the Global Fund for Children etc, that have been created to make a change.

Reference

Otoo, E. (2012, May 31). Caring for street children means tackling poverty at its roots. Retrived from https://www.globalfundforchildren.org/caring-for-street-children-means-tackling-poverty-at-its-roots/