(I love pictures that explain my thoughts)
Learning about International Early Childhood has been
enlightening and humbling. I have
learned that other countries are going through some of the same issues that we
in the US are experiencing. There are
also other children and families that have it far worse than we do. Childhood inequity, poverty, and protection are
some of the challenges faced daily.
After reaching out to an EC professional in Australia, I can
see that there are problems with governmental policies and education are all
around the world. They are struggling
with equity and quality just as we are.
According to my EC professional contact working in Greenway and
Tuggeranong Australia, the government is decreasing access to EC for some of
the most vulnerable children. The
governmental jobs for families require additional EC services. The need for facilities would require for
some children to be eliminated or not have access to the programs. It is like the children’s families are being
put on a ranking system to see who gets service and who doesn’t. Also, quality education would be compromised
to accommodate for the lack of facilities.
Childhood poverty is an ongoing issue in many countries. The scarcity of food, clothing, healthcare,
and the lack of education have caused millions of children to die
prematurely. The situation has caused
many organizations to get involved when others turn their backs. I have also learned that UNICEF is a great resource
for information regarding issues in the world regarding children. They provide shelter, food, clothing,
education, and so many other supplies to not only children but their families
as well. I recently read about UNICEF
providing protection and healthcare for children susceptible or previously
involved in trafficking. Their
experiences are horrendous and very few people reach out to help them escape.
My personal and professional outlook on various issues has made
want to do more. Sending clothing to another country isn’t enough if they are
worrying about if they are going to eat.
I have a personal goal of increasing my giving and volunteer time. Many people can give their money, but fewer
people give their time. In my opinion,
time can be more valuable than money. I
am very blessed to be in my current situation, but I always have to remember
that I too could be in their shoes. Many
people forget they may only be 1-2 paychecks away from being in the position
that you look down on.
Alisha-
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful post! I don't think that many people realize how close we all could be to being in poverty ourselves. I agree that sometimes it is not enough to just give money and forget about the issue. Our time is much more important and perhaps more useful. When I was younger my church use to do missionary work in different places. This is something I am hoping to bring back as I think we made a impact on the people we helped and this is what I would love to show my own children to do. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Alisha, Great post like always. I do agree that the picture you have chosen symbolizes how much we are all interwoven into the fabric of life. I truly believe that if we just stopped to realize that we could change the world by helping just one person, the world would be a better. In the case of examining the international world, I do see commonalities between our nations. They are many of us (early childhood world) that just want children to have equality of opportunities and quality schools where they can flourish regardless of what adversities they are facing. You idea of volunteering is invaluable and can be infectious in inspiring others to do the same. Thank you always for sharing your perspective, see you in the next class.
ReplyDeleteAlisha
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your blog and the different perspective you bring to the issues and trends of the early childhood field. Your passion for the field is very inspiring and wish you the best of luck in your future studies and career goals.