Thursday, May 20, 2010

Children without bright future

I have decided to blog on one of the reasons for my profound and perpetual sadness these days. It is all about the disasters happening around me and in the world. I cannot blank my mind to them because in any of these unpleasant issues, incidents, it could have been me. I could have been one of the numerous children on the street of Bamako or Nigeria begging for food and struggling daily for survival, I could have been Yerima's child bride, I could have been one of so many victims of earthquake in Haiti or I could have been in the Afriqiyah plane that crashed!

For me, it is not about thanking God for making me safe and giving me hope,  but it is  about thinking and wishing to have solutions to save the World to put smiles on every faces on earth, save the habitat of our animals, to protect trees and our greens. I was not with a perfect childhood but I had a good one compare to many children I see on the street without education, without food, without decent clothes, wihtout any reasonable shelter and without hope! This makes me sadder each day!

One cannot be blind to the fact that extreme poverty plaque many homes but at the same time one cannot but ponder on why many parents would rather have children they cannot cater for and still keep having and throwing them to the street? Is this sheer irresponsibility or strong in belief in God's provision at all cost? Many a parent had good job, good source of income before disaster or sickness befall them and all their hopes throwing out of the window. There is no one way to look at this situation but there are many ways of looking at a solution. For example in Mali, I am not sure if there is any NGO or goverment project in place to address the needs of these children who in my very eye keep multiplying by the day. No matter the street or place I go, I see at least 10 cluster of children begging, waiting for leftover food in their filthy clothes. How sad can that be?

Many of these children that I see on every corners of Bamako are more male and less female. Is this as a result of having more male children on as a result of early marriage for female children which I am yet to investigate. As I strongly believe that many female children will be faced with the same fate as the male children. Mali is predominantly a Muslim country even though I am yet to understand if child marriage takes place as they do not practice Sharia law but secular law. The provision for the rights of adult and young female since it seems that women have lesser rights in marriage will be interesting to know. Is this the terrible way many children will keep surviving in thier own country, in a place where their growth and education should be paramount? What is the future of such a country and such a people?

I still cannot imagine how these children will grow to be responsible adults, by luck some of them would. But they would have still grown without education, without health care, if some of them won't be faced with serious diseases from lack of good hygiene; nutritious food, good water, clean clothes to mention but a few and if some won't have died young! Where is the hope, where is the love, where is the safe haven and where is the future for these numerous children? They have even lost thier childhood before they were born!

Perhaps, we can all think together for other solutions since the work of organisations like UNICEF, UNDP alike seem not to be enough to tackle this epidemical situation. What do we do? What can I do? What would you do? Where is the government???

11 comments:

blazing said...

hmmmmm...

m said...

sad post, gave me lots to think and be embarrassed about, especially your last lines, coz by doing nothing, we participate in fail the little ones. inspiring blog, and thank you for your work!

sosexy said...

Really loved the post..
I came and I've read.

Unknown said...

It's really sad that this is happening in our continent.

Afronuts said...

Really sad...the only thing I see these kids becoming are area boys...

Its happening everywhere...especially in developing nations

Zena said...

I think the last time I was in Nigeria IN '04, I couldn't stand it.....looking in those children's eyes as they begged for money or for food, the huge difference with the priviledged and under-riviledged was stark!!! I couldn't take it

Honestly what can be done? There are sooo many places we can start from

StandTall I commend you

doll (retired blogger) said...

food for thought!

NoLimit said...

I lived in the northern part of Nigeria for a while…actually I was born in the north…and what I discovered is some set of muslims, think/have concluded that it is Allah’s will for them to be poor…I don’t know where that stems from…but I know it is true…they are the Almajiris…and you will see them loitering all over the streets of the city begging.
It is not enough to provide food, clothing and shelter for this set of people as you would only be doing them a temporal favour…giving them all this is good…but personally, I feel there is need to change the mindset of this kids…it is a case of…if the foundation is broken…
It breaks my heart to see this happen too and I’m all for solutions to this…I totally believe it is possible to curb it…hope you’re good…still waiting for your Mali number!!!

Anonymous said...

If we expect to help in any way then we need to be optimistic. I know of a boy and his mother who used to beg on the streets somewhere in Lagos and after a few years, I noticed he began to sell stuff rather than just beg.

I never saw the boy again until last year when I learnt he now attended secondary school. I don't know the background story but that he now has an education was good enough for me and who knows if he gets sponsored to attend varsity and one day he becomes someone worthwhile in society and tells his story.

Molara Brown said...

I believe it is sheer irresponsibility for parents to have children they cannot cater for, irrespective of thier religious belief or cultural background. This post really got me sad, at some point i was thinking, at least it is not only our country but i believe education is the key.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Thought provoking piece.

Hmm...

Well, I dare say that as individuals, we have to help those we can, how we can. We can do this as a collective group as well.

As a larger society, we have to demand the creation and maintenance of institutions and structures that will provide opportunities and hopes for young folks. Failure to do so, will create a cycle of poverty, desperation and hopelessness that will only keep the entire continent locked in 'last place'.

How do we achieve that specifically, well the 'solution' and/or suggestion will be different for every country, every state, every local government area and town or village.

We can't give up hope and we have to support groups (large and small) that are already on the ground doing the good work. I can think of Youths for Technology and the work they are doing around the continent.

Anyway, let me stop yarning. How are you sis? Stay blessed and thank you for forcing me to think about this right now. God bless.

My Passion, my focus, the change that I want to see in the world - is my propellent factor.

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