The website that I have been reviewing is Save the
Children. I am impressed of all the
information that is gathered in this website.
They work with the most vulnerable children throughout the world, and
there is information in the website of what they do in each country that they
work. While reviewing the website under
the tab Take
Action I found information about becoming an advocate for children. Since I started my degree I have been more
interested in advocacy than ever before.
It is an area of my profession that I want to continue developing and
learning. They have links to join their
efforts through important social networks, they provide information in the most
important trends and issues and encourage you to participate and speak to
congress and information in legislation and what is advocacy. Also they have information about the elected
officials and what techniques are most effective to advocate for children and
families.
One of the biggest consequences of poverty is
malnutrition and lack of health services.
When people are poor they lack of means to provide for themselves and
their family an appropriate nutrition and health services. This organization works to ensure to provide these
services in the areas where they work.
Besides worrying about the nutrition and health of the children we also
have to worry about the state of health of the parents. When parents are not healthy they lack of the
energy to thrive for their children. This
situation makes it difficult for them to break the chain of poverty.
In the website I found this statement “What does
"go without" mean in America? This means little access to books, early
education, proper nutrition and play.
Children that face these issues have a hard time to thrive during their
first years of development.
Facts in USA:
·
Four-year-olds from families affected by
poverty are 18 months behind other 4-year-olds developmentally.
·
In 60 percent of low-income households,
there are no books at all in the home.
·
In rural communities, 52 percent of
children living in poverty are overweight or obese.
Obesity is another issue in early childhood. Nowadays in the USA obesity has become a
great health issues within the children.
This is due to the limited access of healthy foods and parents low
education.
If politicians, neuroscientists and economists work
together to create policies and programs that decreased poverty many of this
issues could be drastically reduced.
Then we can have more healthy people and children that can develop and
become productive citizens for our nation.
Marta,
ReplyDeleteI like how you emphasized that policymakers, economists, and neuro-scientists need to work together to create policies. It seems sometimes each of these have their own agenda rather than relying on each other to make the biggest possible impact for children. I also think the quotes about what it means to do without in the US is powerful and moving.
Great post!
Kristi
Hi Marta-
ReplyDeleteVery powerful statement, in what does it mean to "go without" in America? By taking this course, I have re-evaluated that question as well. Many people take for granted the necessities needed to live a healthy, happy, and productive life. I discovered that having books is something I often take for granted as my daughter has a bookshelf that is overflowing with books. UNICEF also promotes programs world-wide that support physical activity through sports to reduce obesity and diabetes.
Marta,
DeleteSave the Children is an organization that caters to children in poverty. Sometimes, when privileged people think of poverty, they think of children living in a “make-shift shack” going to dirty streams to fetch water. As we know, that is not so. Poverty comes in many forms and lurks around us. The statistics you quoted were alarming. No books for young kids, academically deficit as compared to counterparts, poor nutrition, poor health care and unhealthy parents. Where is the help for those in need? These people need assistance, Save the Children can help and they need the help of caring individuals---just like us. I am glad that you foresee advocacy in this area. If your heart is in this area, go for it.
I agree with you about the growing interest in advocacy! I also find the statistics on poverty quite alarming and disturbing. I struggle with what can I do to help. "Going without" in my family is much different than a family in poverty and it is something that I need to make sure I am helping my own children to understand as well.
ReplyDelete